Neutrogena is finally addressing its complicated history with Hayden Panettiere. Nearly a decade after the skincare brand and the actress parted ways, the company broke its silence on August 20 following the 36-year-old star’s tragic passing.
The statement, posted to the brand’s official Instagram account, comes amidst a wave of public scrutiny regarding claims Panettiere made during her tenure as a spokesperson from 2005 to 2015. The actress had previously alleged that she was fired from the brand due to her candid comments about her struggles with postpartum depression.
“For more than a decade, Hayden was a valued member of our Neutrogena community,” the brand wrote. “We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time. This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be.”
The tribute comes as the entertainment world continues to mourn the Heroes and Nashville icon, who passed away this past Sunday.
As previously reported, emergency responders were called to the Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, South Carolina, shortly before 2 p.m. on Sunday after receiving reports of an unresponsive woman. Despite the best efforts of medical personnel, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Panettiere was in cardiac arrest when an acquaintance placed the 911 call. An autopsy conducted on Monday determined there were “no signs of trauma … discovered that would have contributed to [Panettiere’s] death.”
While dispatch audio has referenced a potential overdose, officials have not yet confirmed an official cause of death. “The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies,” the coroner’s office stated, confirming that the “investigation remains active and ongoing.”