Actress, Anna Paquin has spoken out about the dangers faced by female child stars following the death of Hayden Panettiere.
Saying that young performers were “not as protected” by Hollywood as they should have been, Paquin, 44, shared the message on Instagram days after Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, and pronounced dead despite attempts to resuscitate her.
Paquin, who became a child star herself and won an Oscar at 11 for The Piano, also used her warning to reference former young actors Michelle Trachtenberg and Daveigh Chase, who died aged 39 and 35, respectively.
Paquin wrote: “It’s not a coincidence that so many former, specifically pre-sexualised female, child ‘stars’ have profoundly sad lives and untimely ends. We were not as protected by the ‘systems’ that look great on paper as we are supposed to be. RIP HP, MT, DC, and too many others.”
She also described former child performers as belonging to a “strange, small club” and directly offered her support to others with similar experiences.
She wrote: “Literally DM me. I believe you, and I will stand by your side. You aren’t alone.”
The comments received support from other former child actors, including Alyssa Milano, Shiri Appleby, Mara Wilson, Evan Rachel Wood, Marguerite Moreau, and Rowan Blanchard.
Melissa Gilbert, who began playing Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie as a child, also shared Paquin’s statement.
“Thank you, Anna. Someone has to say something. Someone has to change this. Someone has to help,” Gilbert wrote.
Paquin’s intervention follows Panettiere’s death on August 16. Police and emergency medical personnel responded to reports of an unresponsive woman at a Greenville residence. Dispatch audio included references to an “overdose” and “cardiac arrest” although Panettiere’s official cause and manner of death have not yet been determined.
Panettiere was one of the most recognisable young performers of her generation, appearing in Remember the Titans before becoming particularly associated with cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes and country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville. She also appeared in Scream 4 and Scream VI.
Paquin’s comments were part of a wider discussion in Hollywood following Panettiere’s death.
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