Neutrogena responds to backlash after Panettiere death

Hayden Panettiere, the actor best known for roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," died on August 16, 2026, at age 36. In the days following her death, skincare company Neutrogena has become the focus of widespread online backlash and calls for boycotts over the brand's historical treatment of the actress and model. The controversy centers on Panettiere's own account that the company sought to end their partnership after she publicly discussed her experience with postpartum depression.

Panettiere was the face of Neutrogena for approximately a decade, a relationship that began during her teenage years. In September 2015, she appeared on "Live! With Kelly and Michael" and spoke openly about her battle with postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter in 2014. In her 2026 memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," and in a subsequent podcast interview, Panettiere alleged that Neutrogena moved to terminate her contract after this television appearance, citing a morality clause. She stated her representative intervened to prevent an immediate termination, but she was not invited to return as the brand's ambassador the following year when her contract expired.