Neutrogena is acknowledging its past treatment of Hayden Panettiere following the actress’ death at age 36.
The skincare brand, which worked with Panettiere for more than a decade, issued a lengthy statement on Thursday, Aug. 20, addressing its relationship with the former “Nashville” star and admitting it failed to support her during a difficult period in her life.
“We are deeply saddened by Hayden Panettiere’s passing,” the company began in a statement shared on Instagram.
“For more than a decade, Hayden was a valued member of our Neutrogena community. We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time. This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be.”
The statement comes days after Panettiere’s death and amid renewed attention surrounding comments she made about the brand and her experience with postpartum depression.
Neutrogena Addresses Its History With Hayden Panettiere
Panettiere had previously spoken about what happened after she publicly revealed her struggle with postpartum depression following the 2014 birth of her daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.
In her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” Panettiere alleged that Neutrogena sought to end her long-running contract after she entered treatment, citing a morality clause.
Her comments resurfaced following her death, putting renewed scrutiny on the company’s handling of its longtime partnership with the actress.
Now, Neutrogena is directly acknowledging that Panettiere did not feel supported.
“Hayden’s courage in sharing her challenges helped inspire important conversations and awareness,” the company continued.
Neutrogena also announced that it plans to take action beyond its public statement.
“We are making a significant investment to a long-standing community health partner to help give more women access to the support they need, including care for postpartum depression. We will share more details with this community when plans are in place.”
The company did not identify the organization or disclose the size of the investment.
Neutrogena Explains Why It Waited to Speak Out
Neutrogena also addressed the timing of its response, explaining that it intentionally waited before commenting publicly following Panettiere’s death.
“Out of respect for Hayden’s family and loved ones, we did not want to speak out so soon following her passing,” the statement read. “Everyone at Neutrogena extends their deepest condolences to Hayden’s family and all who loved her.”
Panettiere had been remarkably candid about her experience with postpartum depression over the years.
In her memoir, released in May, she wrote about the difficult period following Kaya’s birth and the toll it took on her life and career.
“I labored with Kaya for 14 hours and was in surgery for three hours after she was born,” Panettiere wrote.
Her decision to speak publicly about what followed became part of a much larger conversation about postpartum depression and the stigma surrounding women seeking treatment.
Neutrogena’s statement now acknowledges the significance of those conversations while confronting its own role in Panettiere’s experience.
Panettiere died Sunday, Aug. 16, at age 36. Her death remains under investigation.
