Rose McGowan has weighed in on Hayden Panettiere‘s unexpected death with a pointed message about children growing up in Hollywood. The actress used her tribute to question the toll the entertainment industry can take on young stars.
Panettiere’s own career began before her first birthday and kept her in front of the camera throughout much of her childhood.
Rose McGowan is speaking out about the dangers of childhood fame following the death of her fellow “Scream” star Hayden Panettiere.
McGowan paid tribute to the late actress in an Instagram post on Friday, which would have marked Panettiere’s 37th birthday. “Rest in Power Hayden Paniettiere [sic],” the 52-year-old wrote alongside a video of the ocean.
McGowan then turned her message into a stark warning about young performers entering the entertainment industry. “Don’t put kids in show business,” she wrote. “None of this is normal. May her spirit be free of those who orchestrated.”
Panettiere died at 36 over the previous weekend. Her official cause and manner of death remain pending as authorities conduct further investigation.
Hayden Panettiere Spent Nearly Her Entire Childhood On Screen
Panettiere began working in Hollywood as a child, appearing in her first toy commercial at just 11 months old. By age four, she had graduated to daytime television as Sarah Roberts on “One Life to Live.”
Her childhood résumé continued expanding from there. Panettiere landed the voice role of Princess Dot in Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life” before scoring a memorable part opposite Denzel Washington in “Remember the Titans” at 10.
She later said that the football drama was her favorite movie to make, recalling the experience as an “incredible time” in her life. Panettiere continued working steadily through her teens, appearing in “Ice Princess” and “Bring It On: All or Nothing.”
At 17, she made another major leap with NBC’s “Heroes.” Her role as indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet put her at the center of the hit series, which regularly attracted more than 14 million viewers in its first season. By then, Panettiere had already spent her entire childhood virtually working on screen.
Panettiere Admitted Childhood Fame Came At A Cost
Panettiere herself later acknowledged that growing up in Hollywood came with a cost. While promoting her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” in May, she told NPR that she felt robbed of the chance to experience a normal childhood.
The actress described being caught between “two different worlds.” One was the adult environment of the entertainment industry, while the other was the life she wanted among children her own age.
Although Panettiere said she fit more easily into the adult world, she longed to attend school, play sports, and have friends her age. Instead, she recalled struggling to be accepted by her peers. She offered a similar assessment in an earlier interview with IRK Magazine, admitting she “didn’t have much choice” about entering acting.
Panettiere also recalled being bullied at school while spending much of her working life surrounded by adults. That unusual divide left her feeling as though she belonged in neither environment. “Growing up in the spotlight is tough,” she said, adding that it “made it hard to fit in anywhere.”
Rose McGowan Has Spent Years Taking Hollywood To Task
McGowan’s criticism of Hollywood stretches back years, with the actress repeatedly arguing that its problems run deeper than individual bad actors.
She became a prominent voice in the #MeToo movement after publicly accusing disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein of rape in 2017. Weinstein denied allegations of nonconsensual sex.
McGowan also claimed she was threatened with being blacklisted after speaking about the alleged assault. She later turned her attention to those she believed enabled misconduct within the industry, vowing to pursue people who were “aiding and abetting” such behavior.
Rose McGowan Branded Hollywood A ‘Complicity Machine’
By 2018, McGowan was describing Hollywood as a “complicity machine.” The “Charmed” alum told ABC News that she initially viewed her problems with the industry as isolated issues before reaching a broader conclusion.
“It’s the entire system that’s wrong,” she recalled realizing. The actress also compared Hollywood’s culture to the cult-like environment she experienced growing up, arguing that similar tactics were used to control people.
Her activism ultimately became a defining chapter of her career, with McGowan using her platform to challenge the industry that employed her for decades.
