Justin Chatwin Discusses Hollywood Culture and Remembering Hayden Panettiere

Justin Chatwin expressed frustration with the Hollywood culture as he mourns the loss of his ‘Sleepwalker’ co-star, Hayden Panettiere. In a conversation with Fox News Digital, Chatwin, who recently worked with Panettiere, shared his grief has morphed into anger over the lack of support for individuals battling trauma and addiction within the entertainment sector.

Chatwin said, ‘I’m a man, so I process things by getting pissed off.’ He highlighted his anger towards the industry’s failure in providing care, stating, ‘They get the work, they sell the product, and there’s just a lot of people in our industry that are dying from… inability to feel pain or heal trauma.’ His remarks call attention to the insufficient support and awareness around these critical issues.

Panettiere passed away on Sunday, Aug. 16, at age 36. Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, pronounced her dead following her discovery in cardiac arrest at her home. Despite emergency interventions, an autopsy confirmed no trauma contributed to her demise, while investigations continue.

Chatwin emphasized that trauma and addiction extend far beyond Hollywood, noting it’s an issue across the United States. He said, ‘It’s not just her. We’ve lost a lot of people, not just in Hollywood, in all of America. It’s an epidemic that needs to be looked at.’

Recounting his last time spent with Panettiere after completing ‘Sleepwalker,’ Chatwin fondly remembered a dinner outing where he thought of her as one of his top five or ten favorite collaborators, acknowledging her sweetness.

‘I could sense a lot of pain that she had dealt with, from her family to her daughter,’ Chatwin observed, commenting on the burdens Panettiere carried from her years in Hollywood. Her public battles with addiction and personal trials were detailed in her 2026 memoir, ‘This Is Me: A Reckoning.’

Chatwin first encountered Panettiere during her ‘Heroes’ days and later teamed up for ‘Sleepwalker,’ a psychological thriller where she also played an executive producer. He noted, ‘She’s just got one of the biggest hearts of anyone that I’ve worked with.’

Yet, he realized life had taken a toll when they reunited, citing her difficult experiences. Chatwin spoke on the loneliness actors sometimes feel after the glamour of film sets, describing the transition to solitude between project wrap-ups.

‘Sometimes the pain is unbearable, and at the end of the day, you go home from a warm, fun movie set where everyone’s telling you you’re great, and you’re alone in your house and you still got to order your coffee and eat your dinner,’ Chatwin said.

On set, Chatwin cherished Panettiere’s lively nature and appreciated their deep conversations, saying he valued engaging on significant matters with her.

The actor advised fellow performers to consider the impact of roles that might stir unresolved personal traumas. Panettiere, renowned as child actor Claire Bennet on ‘Heroes’ and country singer Juliette Barnes on ‘Nashville,’ had courageously shared her struggles.

Her death followed the passing of her brother, Jansen Panettiere, in 2023 at age 28 due to heart complications, prompting open-hearted grief. Despite personal trials, Chatwin hopes Panettiere is remembered simply, stating, ‘She was a unicorn.’

Regarding Panettiere’s thoughts on returning to acting, Chatwin noted her aspirations focused on happiness rather than professional aims.