Hayden Panettiere honoured by friends and family at Malibu memorial
Hayden Panettiere’s friends and family have gathered to honour the star one month after her tragic death.
A memorial was held for the late star in Malibu, California on September 19, following her death on August 16 from an apparent overdose.
The former Disney star sadly passed away in August at age 36. Getty
Famous friends including Paris Hilton, Evan Ross and Nashville costar’s Connie Britton, Charles Esten, Lennon Stella and Jonathan Jackson gathered to remember the star.
According to TMZ, the memorial was organised by Panettiere’s father, Alan ‘Skip’ Panettiere, with around 150 people in attendance.
While Panettiere’s dad was in attendance, reports claim that her estranged mum, Lesley Vogel was not invited, nor were her boyfriend, Brian Hickerson or his brother, Zach Hickerson.
Vogel has faced intense public backlash in the weeks since her daughter’s death.
Before her death, Panettiere had been open about her complicated relationship with her mother, who was also her former manager.
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“Everything was business,” she said in a May interview of On Purpose with Jay Shetty.
Meanwhile, Vogel said she had felt powerless to help break what she called a “codependent bond” between Panettiere and Hickerson.
Hickerson was with Panettiere at the time of her death, along with his brother.
Actress Hayden Panettiere’s estranged mother Lesley Vogel hit back at ‘haters’ in a TV interview after her daughter’s death. Getty
At Panettiere’s memorial, co-stars Britton and Esten both reportedly gave speeches with Esten performing one of Panettiere’s songs from their hit show.
Aussie actress Ruby Rose was also in attendance, opening up about Panettiere’s passing just days before the memorial, telling Entertainment Tonight, “that was my best friend, we spoke every day for five years.”
“I didn’t even think we were gonna be friends. I didn’t know if I wanted to have any celebrity friends, ’cause I haven’t had a great experience with the industry,” she said.
“I saw her, she saw me, and I just remember thinking, ‘Oh, no.’ And then she ran up anyway and was like, ‘Hey, I’m Hayden. Can we go talk somewhere? We’ve got a lot in common.’
“And I just laughed. I was like, ‘What?’ She says I said, ‘I don’t think so,’ but I think I just laughed. And then we went and talked, and we had everything in common.”
Rose explained that all Panettiere ever want was “to have her story told her way, on her terms.”
Audio of the 911 call the night of Panettiere’s death revealed paramedics were called to the South Carolina property over reports of an overdose. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Panettiere’s dad was the one to announce her death, releasing a public statement on August 16.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” he said.
“She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”
The Heroes actress was mum to daughter, Kaya, 11, whom she shared with her ex-fiance, Wladmir Klitschko. The pair were not photographed at the memorial service.
