Hayden Panettiere opened up about her brother’s death in her first major interview focused on the loss, describing Jansen Panettiere’s sudden 2023 death as a continuing heartbreak that affected her body and mental health. She said she gained 40 pounds, experienced the return of agoraphobia, and later explained that exhaustion ended the interview early.
Jansen Panettiere was 28 when he died on February 19, 2023. In the September 2024 People cover-story interview, Hayden discussed the emotional and physical effects of losing her only sibling, the people and activities that helped her begin feeling like herself again, and why viewers should not diagnose her from edited footage or social-media speculation.
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Key takeaways
- Hayden Panettiere’s September 2024 People interview was her first major interview focused on the February 2023 death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere.
- Jansen Panettiere died suddenly at age 28; his family said the medical examiner reported cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, with aortic valve complications.
- Panettiere said grief brought a reported 40-pound weight gain, reduced confidence about leaving home, and the return of agoraphobia she had experienced previously.
- Panettiere described exercise, long walks, and support from trainer Marnie Alton as part of a gradual process of feeling more like herself.
- After viewers expressed concern about the interview footage, Panettiere said she was exhausted and that her representative stopped the interview because she was fading.
- Panettiere’s memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning is a broader account of her life, not a book presented as being exclusively about Jansen’s death.
What did Hayden Panettiere say about her brother’s death?
Hayden Panettiere said Jansen Panettiere’s death remains an unbearable loss that she does not expect to simply “get over.” Jansen was her only sibling, and Panettiere said she had felt responsible for protecting him. In the interview, she described grief as something that affected her emotions, body, confidence, mental health, and sense of identity.
“I will always be heartbroken about it. I will never be able to get over it. No matter how many years go by, I will never get over his loss,” Panettiere said in the interview, as reported by ABC News’ account of her People interview.
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The September 18, 2024 interview appeared as part of a People cover story while Panettiere was promoting the film Amber Alert. It was her first major interview centered on Jansen’s death since he died suddenly in February 2023.
Who was Jansen Panettiere?
Jansen Panettiere was an actor and voice performer who died on February 19, 2023, at age 28. His credited work included The Last Day of Summer, Ice Age: The Meltdown, The X’s, and The Walking Dead. Jansen also appeared with Hayden Panettiere in the 2004 Disney Channel movie Tiger Cruise, according to ABC News’ report on his acting career and death.
Jansen was not only Panettiere’s younger brother but her only sibling. That family relationship helps explain why Panettiere described the loss in terms of both bereavement and a responsibility she believed she had carried for him.
What was Jansen Panettiere’s cause of death?
Jansen Panettiere’s family said the medical examiner reported cardiomegaly, meaning an enlarged heart, coupled with aortic valve complications. The family’s statement, reported by ABC News in February 2023, described the death as sudden.
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| Date | What happened | What the record supports |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2023 | Jansen Panettiere died suddenly at 28. | His family reported cardiomegaly with aortic valve complications as the cause. |
| February 20, 2024 | Panettiere remembered Jansen on the first anniversary of his death. | She wrote that she kept him in her heart and kept his paintings close. |
| September 18, 2024 | Panettiere discussed Jansen’s death in a People cover-story interview. | She described enduring grief, physical changes, agoraphobia, and gradual recovery. |
| September 23, 2024 | Panettiere responded to concern about the interview footage. | She said exhaustion caused the interview to end early and rejected public speculation about medication. |
| February 19, 2025 | Panettiere marked the second anniversary. | She wrote, “The pain isn’t quantifiable.” |
| May 19, 2026 | Her publisher listed the on-sale date for This Is Me: A Reckoning. | The memoir is a wider life account rather than a book described as solely about Jansen. |
Why did Hayden Panettiere say she gained weight after her brother died?
Panettiere said she gained 40 pounds in the days after Jansen’s death. She attributed the change to stress and high cortisol levels and described the experience in her own words: “I just ballooned out.” ABC News reported those statements from the People interview.
Panettiere also said she no longer felt confident putting on clothes or leaving the house. She interpreted her physical response as her body protecting or shielding itself from the outside world. That interpretation belongs to Panettiere’s personal account; it is not an independently verified medical explanation and should not be generalized to everyone experiencing grief.
Did Hayden Panettiere talk about agoraphobia after Jansen’s death?
Yes. Panettiere said agoraphobia, a problem she had struggled with previously, returned after Jansen’s death. She connected the recurrence with her loss and with the difficulty she felt about being seen or leaving home.
Her comments describe one person’s experience rather than a diagnosis that can be made from an interview or a video clip. Weight change, speech, facial expression, or appearance cannot establish whether a person has a particular medical or psychological condition.
How did Hayden Panettiere describe her recovery?
Panettiere said exercise and long walks helped her begin moving through the period after Jansen’s death. She also credited her relationship with trainer Marnie Alton, the CEO of M/BODY. Panettiere described Alton as someone she could trust and vent to, and said that the relationship contributed to her gradually beginning to feel like herself again.
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Panettiere presented those activities and relationships as supports that helped her, not as universal treatment for bereavement or agoraphobia. Her account also does not suggest that recovery erased the loss. The difference is important: Panettiere described renewed connection with herself while continuing to acknowledge lasting pain.
Why were people concerned about Hayden Panettiere’s People interview?
Some viewers expressed concern about Panettiere’s appearance and speech after video from the interview circulated. Panettiere later explained that she was exhausted and that the interview became more difficult as the discussion of Jansen grew heavier.
“I was exhausted. My rep stopped the interview early as it became obvious that I was fading—especially as the subject matter became heavier,” Panettiere said in a public response reported by ABC News.
Panettiere also wrote, “Grief looks different on everyone.” She said questions about whether she was taking medication were private and between her and her doctor. Her clarification supplies her explanation for the footage and sets a clear boundary against armchair diagnosis. Concern can be acknowledged without turning unverified social-media claims into reporting.
How did Panettiere continue remembering Jansen?
Panettiere publicly remembered Jansen on the first anniversary of his death, writing that she kept him in her heart and kept his paintings close. On February 19, 2025, the second anniversary, she wrote, “The pain isn’t quantifiable,” according to ABC News’ report on her tribute.
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The two public remembrances, considered alongside the 2024 interview, show a continuing relationship with grief rather than a simple before-and-after recovery story. Panettiere’s own language emphasizes that functioning again and continuing to hurt can coexist.
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What is Hayden Panettiere’s memoir?
This Is Me: A Reckoning is Hayden Panettiere’s hardcover memoir. The publisher, Hachette Book Group, lists May 19, 2026, as the on-sale date and describes the book as covering Panettiere’s life behind closed doors, including postpartum depression, addiction and recovery, trauma, domestic abuse, and loss. The publisher’s memoir listing for This Is Me: A Reckoning should be checked for current publication and retailer information.
The memoir is a relevant follow-on for readers who want Panettiere’s broader account in her own words. It should not be marketed as a book exclusively about Jansen’s death, because the publisher’s description presents a wider life story.
Where can viewers watch Amber Alert?
Amber Alert, the film Panettiere was promoting around the interview, is a separate entertainment work and not a response to grief or a substitute for mental-health support. A U.S. Prime Video listing showed a version available for rental or purchase when checked, but digital availability and pricing can change; readers should verify the current listing before renting or buying.
For context, readers can check the current listing for Amber Alert starring Hayden Panettiere. The availability statement is limited to the U.S. storefront reflected in the source and should not be assumed to apply in every country.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What did Hayden Panettiere say about her brother’s death?
Hayden Panettiere said Jansen Panettiere was her only sibling and that she would never fully get over his loss. She described grief as affecting her body, confidence, mental health, and sense of identity.
What happened to Jansen Panettiere?
Jansen Panettiere died suddenly on February 19, 2023, at age 28. His family said the medical examiner reported cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, coupled with aortic valve complications.
Why did Hayden Panettiere gain weight after her brother died?
Panettiere said she gained 40 pounds in the days after Jansen’s death and attributed the change to stress and high cortisol levels. She also said her previously experienced agoraphobia returned.
Why were people concerned about Hayden Panettiere’s interview?
Panettiere said her representative stopped the interview because she was exhausted and fading as the subject became heavier. She also said medication questions were private and wrote, “Grief looks different on everyone.”
The Bottom Line
Hayden Panettiere described Jansen Panettiere’s death as a lasting loss that affected her body, confidence, and mental health. Jansen’s family reported cardiomegaly with aortic valve complications as the cause of his sudden death at 28. After viewers scrutinized the interview footage, Panettiere explained that exhaustion caused the interview to end early and asked people not to diagnose her from appearances or speculation.
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