Neutrogena Faces Boycott Calls Over Alleged Firing of Hayden Panettiere

The death of actress Hayden Panettiere has renewed scrutiny of her decade-long partnership with Neutrogena, after resurfaced comments in which she said the brand ended its relationship with her following her public discussion of postpartum depression.

Panettiere, 36, died on August 16 in Greenville, South Carolina, according to multiple reports. Police said there were no signs of foul play, and an autopsy was completed, with cause of death pending further investigation. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is joining the investigation, though officials have not said whether drugs played a role.

The actress, best known for roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," left behind her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whose father is former boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.

The Alleged Firing

In a May podcast interview with Jay Shetty, Panettiere discussed how her appearance on "Live! With Kelly and Michael" in 2015, where she spoke about her postpartum depression, led to Neutrogena ending their partnership in 2016.

"I had no intention of or plan to talk about postpartum depression," she said on the podcast. "It just came up, and I was just being honest. And never for a second did I think that anyone – or care that anyone – would have a bad reaction to it. It was my truth."

She claimed Neutrogena had morality clauses that "caught everything," and that her representative told the brand, "That's illegal. You can't do that." She said she was not invited back the following year and heard nothing from the company afterward.

In her memoir "This Is Me," published in May, Panettiere wrote: "Neutrogena canceled my long-standing contract, and it was yet another blow in a year that had given almost nothing else."

Neutrogena's Response and Boycott Calls

Following Panettiere's death, fans circulated clips of the podcast and called for a boycott of Neutrogena on social media.

On August 20, four days after her death, Neutrogena posted a statement saying: "We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported. This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be." The company said it waited to release the statement out of respect for her family.

Neutrogena also promised to make "a significant investment to a longstanding community health partner" to help give more women access to support, including care for postpartum depression.

Broader Context of Postpartum Depression and Substance Use

Panettiere had been open about her struggles with postpartum depression and substance use. She said she turned to alcohol and opioids to self-medicate, and that she entered treatment in 2015 when her daughter was four months old. She later entered treatment again in 2016 and lost custody of Kaya in 2018.

In her memoir, she wrote that she was given her first drug at age 16 before a red carpet event for "Heroes," describing it as a "gateway drug" that led to addiction. In another interview, she said she was given "happy pills" at age 15.

She said she did not drink during her pregnancy but "fell off the wagon" after Kaya was born. In a People interview, she said: "As I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn't live without."

She also said that filming "Nashville," where her character dealt with postpartum depression, was traumatizing and disorienting. In her memoir, she wrote: "The issue was that I had everything I'd ever wanted – a great job, a baby, friends, a fiance – and yet I was still unhappy."

Postpartum depression affects up to 14% of people who give birth, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Michelle Battersby, president of the mothers' social media app Peanut, said Panettiere "had asked for help over and over and over, and she was failed over and over and over."

Perspectives

  • Social media users and supporters of Panettiere have called for a boycott of Neutrogena, viewing the brand's actions as emblematic of an industry that fails young stars.
  • Neutrogena has acknowledged making Panettiere feel unsupported and announced an investment in postpartum support, framing its response as aligned with its values.
  • Mental health advocates, such as Michelle Battersby, see the case as highlighting broader systemic failures in supporting new mothers.