NEWSHayden Panettiere Was 'Slurring' Her Words and 'Visibly Emotional' in Final Public Appearance Before Death at 36: Source
Hayden Panettiere was 'visibly emotional' during her last public appearance in May, according to eyewitnesses.
Aug. 17 2026, Published 8:04 p.m. ET
Hayden Panettiere exhibited a few worrying signs at what is now being referred to as her final public appearance.
The revelation was shared by a fan who attended the Nashville alum’s book signing of her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, on May 26 at the Harmony Gold Theater in Los Angeles, Calif.
Hayden Panettiere Was 'Visibly Emotional'
Hayden Panettiere's speech was reportedly 'slurred' during her last public appearance.
"Her speech appeared slow and slurred at times during the book signing," the eyewitness told Page Six on Monday, August 17.
The fan said Panettiere became "visibly emotional" while discussing topics in her memoir, which was marketed as "an unprecedented glimpse" into her years-long struggles with addiction, alcoholism and mental health struggles.
Photos Were Reportedly Prohibited at the Book Signing
Fans were reportedly prohibited from taking photos at Hayden Panettiere's book signing.
In addition, the eyewitness claimed organizers repeatedly reminded attendees not to record the event and also prohibited photos as fans approached the mother-of-one during the event.
Organizers reportedly called out a specific attendee with a megaphone — reportedly saying, "Don't be rude" — when they tried to film Panettiere.
- Hayden Panettiere Said She 'Hoped to Leave the World a Better Place Than I Found It' During Final Public Appearance Months Before Her Tragic Death
- Hayden Panettiere Was 'Clearly Still Struggling' Despite Claiming She Was in a 'Good Place' 3 Months Before Her Death, Says Gayle King
- Hayden Panettiere Was Warned by Doctor She'd Be 'Dead Within 5 Years' If She Didn't Stop Drinking — Years Before Fatal 'Overdose' at Age 36
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Hayden Panettiere Was Found Unresponsive on August 16
Hayden Panettiere was pronounced dead at an apartment in South Carolina on August 16.
"Earlier this year, she did seem a little tired at times. But she was a night owl and… she has a lot on her plate," a separate source told the outlet. "Hayden also suffered from anxiety at times, and I know she would occasionally take medication for that. And every so often that could impact her speech."
As OK! previously reported, the Remember the Titans star was 36 when she died Sunday, August 16. She was found unresponsive at an apartment complex in South Carolina.
An unnamed friend who found the star at the time called 911, and she was pronounced dead at 2:52 p.m. — less than an hour after emergency responders were called — following an alleged "overdose" and "cardiac arrest."
Hayden Panettiere's Dad Confirmed Her Death in a Statement
Hayden Panettiere reportedly traveled to South Carolina the day before her death.
"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen," her father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere, confirmed in a public statement late Sunday evening. "We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."
Though the details of her death are unclear, Hayden reportedly traveled from Los Angeles to South Carolina with her on-again, off-again partner, Brian Hickerson, on August 15, per TMZ.
Brian and Hayden started their on-off relationship in 2018, which continued until her death despite his previous arrest for alleged abuse against the star.
