NEWSMegyn Kelly 'Not Surprised' by Hayden Panettiere's Death, Says Former Child Star Was 'Set Up' to 'Fail' by Her Parents
Megyn Kelly claimed Hayden Panettiere’s upbringing as a child star set her up for failure as an adult.
Aug. 17 2026, Updated 6:05 p.m. ET
Megyn Kelly is "not surprised" to hear about Hayden Panettiere's sudden death, blaming the tragedy on her parents for pushing the blonde beauty into the entertainment industry at a young age.
"I am sad," the journalist, 55, said during the Monday, August 17, episode of "The Megyn Kelly Show."
"I lament the loss of this young woman, but I don’t think it is a pattern we are ever going to correct for because there will always be parents who shove their child into the entertainment industry too young," she explained. "[They] don’t have the skills or the desire to rescue them from the fallout that inevitably comes."
Megyn Kelly weighed in on Hayden Panettiere's sudden death at 36 years old.
Megyn Kelly Was 'Not Surprised' to Hear About Hayden Panettiere's Death
Megyn Kelly claimed many child stars feel like a 'failure' after finding early success in Hollywood.
As OK! previously reported, the Nashville star was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. on Sunday, August 16, less than one hour after an unnamed friend called 911 after finding the actress, 36, unresponsive.
Though the journalist admitted she didn't know much about Panettiere, she claimed the actress' fate was similar to that of other child stars.
Just months before her death, Panettiere confessed she had "no relationship" with her mother, Lesley Vogel, who managed her career from childhood.
Megyn Kelly Claimed Child Stars Are Set-Up for 'Failure'
Megyn Kelly claimed child stars end up being 'rejected' from Hollywood.
"If your child has her peak at age 11 or 17, it is going to be very hard for her to feel like she is a success after that," Kelly claimed. "And the problem is, child actors don’t tend to make it in Hollywood. They may make it as children, but then what?"
Kelly argued that this pattern "sets" them up to "fail."
"This industry that builds them up, then rejects them and they can’t ever reclaim that top of the mountain moment," she continued.
- 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
- 'I Have a Lot More Life Left': Hayden Panettiere’s Final Public Words Before Her Apparent Overdose Death
- Hayden Panettiere's Cause of Death: What to Know So Far After Her Passing
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Inside Hayden Panettiere's Autopsy Report
An autopsy was conducted less than 24 hours after Hayden Panettiere's death.
Panettiere's autopsy was conducted on Monday, August 17, and found no evidence of physical trauma.
"An autopsy was completed today. At autopsy, no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death," the Greenville County Coroner’s Office and Coroner Mike Ellis said in a statement. "The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies. This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time."
Narcan Was Reportedly Found at the Scene
Hayden Panettiere was reportedly in 'cardiac arrest' when an unidentified friend called 911.
Though the details of Panettiere's death remain unclear, 911 dispatch audio revealed the Remember the Titans actress was in "cardiac arrest" and suffered an apparent "overdose."
TMZ reported that either Panettiere — or someone else – was treated with Narcan at some point. The nasal spray, designed to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, was allegedly found nearby on a mattress.
The mom-of-one had been open about her addiction struggles, having been to rehab in the past.
