Actress Anna Paquin is speaking out about the challenges facing former child actors following last week’s death of Hayden Panettiere.
“It’s not a coincidence that so many former, specifically presexualized female, child ’stars’ have profoundly sad lives and untimely ends,” Ms. Paquin posted on Instagram. “[Child actors] were not as protected by the ’systems’ that look great on paper, as we are supposed to be.”
Ms. Paquin, who won an Academy Award for best supporting actress at age 11 for “The Piano,” also referred to former child stars Michelle Trachtenberg and Daveigh Chase, both of whom died before age 40.
She later clarified in the comments that her remarks specifically addressed children in entertainment who were prematurely sexualized.
Ms. Paquin, 44, closed her message by telling others, “You aren’t alone,” and encouraging people to support one another.
Her post drew support from fellow former child stars, including Alyssa Milano, Mara Wilson and Shiri Appleby, along with Melissa Gilbert, who reposted the statement to her own Instagram account.
Ms. Panettiere, 36, died Aug. 16 of cardiac arrest in Greenville, South Carolina. She had a top role in the feature film “Remember the Titans” at age 10 in 2020 and a star-making turn in the NBC superhero series “Heroes” at age 16 in 2006.
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