Courteney Cox is remembering Hayden Panettiere not just as her “Scream” co-star, but as the warm, talented person she knew behind the cameras.
Cox recently reflected on working with Panettiere, who played fan-favorite Kirby Reed in the horror franchise, and offered a glimpse at what their time together was really like.
The actresses shared the screen in 2011’s “Scream 4” before reuniting more than a decade later for “Scream VI.” Panettiere built a career that stretched from childhood roles to major projects including “Heroes,” “Nashville” and the “Scream” franchise.
Courteney Cox Remembers Hayden Panettiere on ‘Scream VI’
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly at the Toronto International Film Festival, where she premiered her second directorial feature, “Evil Genius,” Cox reflected on her final experience working alongside Panettiere. “She’s a really wonderful actor,” Cox said.
The “Friends” alum then remembered the personality Panettiere brought to their time together. “The last time I worked with her we had a great time,” Cox continued. “She was really fun and happy and smart, and it’s really sad. It’s obviously horrible.” Panettiere died on Aug. 16 at age 36.
Cox’s comments offered a brief glimpse of how she remembered Panettiere during their final time working together: talented, “fun and happy and smart.” Their final collaboration came in 2023’s “Scream VI,” which brought both of their longtime franchise characters into the same Ghostface mystery.
Hayden Panettiere Made Kirby Reed a ‘Scream’ Favorite
Panettiere first joined the franchise in “Scream 4,” directed by Wes Craven. She played Kirby Reed, a horror-movie fan whose knowledge of the genre helped make her a memorable addition to the movie’s younger cast.
Kirby’s fate was left ambiguous after she was stabbed in “Scream 4,” allowing the character to eventually return to the franchise. More than a decade later, Panettiere reprised the role in “Scream VI.” Kirby was now an FBI special agent who had survived the events of the earlier movie and became involved in another Ghostface investigation.
The comeback marked Panettiere’s return to acting after several years away from the screen and gave her another opportunity to revisit a character that had remained closely associated with her. Panettiere later revealed that she played a role in making Kirby’s comeback happen. During a 2023 appearance on “Good Morning America”, she said she contacted the filmmakers herself after learning the franchise was being revived.
“I called them up myself and was like, ‘So, you guys don’t happen to want to bring Kirby back, do you?’” she recalled. Her return ultimately reunited her with Cox, who has played Gale Weathers throughout the long-running franchise.
‘Scream’ Also Connected Hayden Panettiere With Wes Craven
Panettiere later spoke warmly about another important relationship that came from her time with the franchise.In a 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, she reflected on working with Craven on “Scream 4” and the influence the legendary filmmaker had on her as an actor “I love the fact that I got to work with Wes Craven,” Panettiere said. “He is amazing.”
She explained that Craven had “an incredible impact” on her life and acting, adding that she continued using what she learned from him on other projects. One lesson involved something particularly important to horror movies: timing.
Panettiere recalled Craven teaching her that moments could feel unusually slow while filming, but that the pacing would make sense once music and editing were added to build anticipation. She admitted she initially questioned the approach. Seeing the finished result changed her perspective.
“I was like, ‘Wow, he was so right,’” Panettiere recalled. It became a lesson she said she carried into other projects. Cox’s new comments now add another personal memory to Panettiere’s “Scream” legacy. Their history stretched from Panettiere’s introduction as Kirby in 2011 to her return in “Scream VI” 12 years later.
And while Cox’s remembrance was brief, it captured the Hayden Panettiere she remembered from their final project together: a gifted co-star who was, in Cox’s words, “fun and happy and smart.”
