Hayden Panettiere has claimed her longtime partnership with Neutrogena was affected after she publicly spoke about postpartum depression in 2015. The actress shared the allegation while promoting her upcoming memoir “This Is Me: A Reckoning.”
Hayden Panettiere’s new memoir claims Neutrogena wasn’t pleased with her comments
During a recent appearance on Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose” podcast, Hayden Panettiere reflected on a television interview she gave after becoming a mother. At the time, she appeared on “Live! with Kelly and Michael.” There, she spoke openly about postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.
“It’s something completely uncontrollable, and it’s really painful, and it’s really scary, and women need a lot of support,” Panettiere said during the interview. She later claimed backlash was faced behind the scenes.
According to the 36-year-old, Neutrogena executives were unhappy with her comments and allegedly wanted to end the partnership immediately. Panettiere said her agent stepped in and kept the contract active until it expired. After that, the relationship with the company was quietly ended, she claimed.
The actress described the experience as “heartbreaking,” especially because she had represented the brand for nearly a decade. She also admitted she was shocked that publicly discussing her health became linked to the morals clause in her contract.
At the time, postpartum depression was rarely discussed openly in Hollywood. Yet, later that year, Panettiere entered treatment for the condition. She also shared another troubling experience from her teenage years. During the podcast, she claimed that at 18, she was taken onto a boat by someone she trusted. The “Scream” star later found herself alone with an “undressed” and “very famous” man.
The memoir will also include details about her sexuality. Excerpts released ahead of publication revealed that Panettiere identifies as bisexual for the first time publicly. Addiction, toxic relationships, and grief following the 2023 death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, are also expected to be explored.
