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Celebrities call for protection of child actors after Hayden Panettiere’s death
Euronews.com • • general
Key Points:
- The death of actress Hayden Panettiere at age 36 has sparked renewed calls from celebrities like Rose McGowan, Anna Paquin, and Melissa Gilbert for stronger protections for child actors in the entertainment industry.
- McGowan and Paquin highlighted the "profoundly sad" treatment of child stars, especially pre-sexualized female performers, emphasizing the lack of effective safeguards despite existing systems.
- Paquin and Gilbert referenced the recent deaths of fellow former child actresses Michelle Trachtenberg and Daveigh Chase, expressing concern over a troubling pattern of untimely deaths among female child actors.
- Gilbert criticized the entertainment industry's exploitation of young performers and questioned the absence of union support, regulations, and privacy protections for child actors.
- Panettiere began her career at age four and was found unresponsive in August 2025; while a 911 call suggested a suspected overdose, the official cause of death remains under investigation.
