Hayden Panettiere Teases Hollywood ‘Crash And Burn’ In Raw New Memoir
Hayden Panettiere is officially putting her story in her own words, and she’s making it clear this memoir isn’t going to hold back. On January 22, the actress shared the cover of her new memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," in an Instagram post, and immediately sent fans into a frenzy. Growing up as a child actor, Panettiere has long been in the public eye. Early roles in films like "Remember the Titans" and soap operas like "One Life to Live" led Panettiere to some of her most recognizable work, including the NBC series "Heroes," the "Scream" movie franchise, and the ABC show "Nashville," for which Panettiere was nominated for two Golden Globe awards. Now, Hayden Panettiere is ready to tell her side of the story.
Hayden Panettiere Finally Tells Her Side Of Child Fame In Honest New Memoir
Panettiere felt the mounting pressure of Hollywood and the spotlight alike. As the memoir’s synopsis teases, “In an era of relentless paparazzi with an appetite for celebrity breakdowns, naysayers were certain this young starlet would crash and burn. Not one to disappoint, she did.”
"This Is Me" traces Panettiere’s life in the entertainment industry, alongside a larger narrative about the pressures that young stars face. Panettiere writes of navigating tabloid headlines and taking on roles that “mirrored her real-life trauma,” all while facing her own struggles off-screen.
Panettiere Says Sobriety Has Helped Her 'Get Over The Hill' After Child-Star Pressure
The actress previously spoke about her recovery from opioid addiction and alcohol abuse in a 2022 PEOPLE interview, explaining that the journey has been going well. More than anything, she’s grateful to be in a place where she can turn her experience into encouragement for others who are still in it.
“I want to let them know that there is a time when you get over the hill,” she said at the time. “Recovery is real. It can happen, and you can be happier than you've ever been before in your life. When you're an addict, it's really hard to believe that you can feel relief, so you've just got to hear from people who have come out the other side, people who can tell you that it is possible and that they can do it.”
Hayden Panettiere Says Brother Jansen’s Death Left Her Feeling Like She 'Lost Half Of My Soul'
Hayden Panettiere’s memoir is also expected to touch on one of the most devastating losses of her life, the death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, in 2023.
The actress has previously spoken publicly about how deeply the tragedy impacted her, and his passing marked a heartbreaking chapter in the larger story she’s now unpacking. "He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him,” she told PEOPLE in a 2024 interview. “When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul.”
She later admitted, “I had to see horrific paparazzi pictures of myself coming out of Jansen’s funeral, which happened in a very private place, and it was shocking. My agoraphobia came out, which is something I’ve struggled with in the past.”
Panettiere Says She’s Been Working Since She Was ‘8 Months Old’
Panettiere has also been clear that her memoir won’t just revisit the headlines, but it will dig into what it actually cost her to grow up in front of cameras, and how that pressure impacted her mental health long before most people even knew her name.
“I was 4 years old when I was on 'Guiding Light,'" she explained in a previous interview. "And I did a bunch of commercials before that. So taking some time off after 'Nashville' was important. I literally hadn't taken a break from the industry since I was like, 8 months old."
And while audiences watched her career evolve from child star to leading lady, Panettiere said the behind-the-scenes reality was isolating. “It was difficult," she continued. "It's difficult to keep up with your friends, to stay in the groove. I was the outsider."
Hayden Panettiere Says She Was Given 'Happy Pills' At 15 Before Red Carpets
She also admitted she leaned heavily on the adults around her to steer her career, and that dynamic didn’t always protect her the way it should have. She previously revealed that she was first introduced to illegal substances at 15, when someone on her team began offering her “happy pills” before red carpets.
“They were to make me peppy during interviews," she said at the time. "I had no idea that this was not an appropriate thing, or what door that would open for me when it came to my addiction."
"This Is Me: A Reckoning" will be published on May 12 and is now available for preorder.
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