Hayden Panettiere’s death at just 36 has reportedly sparked tension behind the scenes as her estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, is said to be pushing to have a role in funeral and memorial arrangements.
Panettiere, best known for Heroes and Nashville, died Aug. 16 while in South Carolina. Her cause and manner of death have not yet been determined. Authorities have said there were no signs of trauma, while emergency dispatch audio referenced a possible overdose and cardiac arrest.
Now, people close to the actress are reportedly divided over how much involvement Vogel should have in planning services for her daughter.
According to a source cited by entertainment insider Rob Shuter, some members of Panettiere’s inner circle believe those who were closest to her in recent years should be the ones making the final decisions.
“There are people around Hayden who believe those closest to her should be making these decisions, especially after everything that happened between Hayden and her mother,” the source claimed.
The insider added that Vogel being Panettiere’s mother does not erase the complicated history between them.
Panettiere had spoken publicly about that relationship before her death.
During a May appearance on On Purpose with Jay Shetty, the actress said her relationship with her mother often felt more professional than parental because Vogel managed her career when she was young.
“Everything was business,” Panettiere recalled, saying she often felt like she became her mother’s confidant, assistant and emotional support rather than simply being her daughter.
Vogel broke her silence publicly two days after Panettiere’s death, remembering her daughter as enormously talented while also speaking about the pressures of growing up in Hollywood.
She said she believed young performers could struggle to remain grounded in an industry that can be extremely demanding.
Vogel also took aim at Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson, who was in South Carolina with the actress when she died.
Hickerson and his brother Zach were both at the residence when Panettiere suffered cardiac arrest, according to police reports cited by TMZ. Zach reportedly found her unresponsive while Brian was asleep in another room. Emergency responders arrived around 1:50 p.m. and tried to revive her before she was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.
Vogel said the family had long wanted Hickerson out of Panettiere’s life.
Hickerson and Panettiere had a complicated history that included domestic violence allegations.
Panettiere publicly addressed the abuse allegations in 2020, saying she hoped speaking out would help other people in abusive relationships find the courage to seek help.
Hickerson later pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend after facing an eight-count criminal case in 2021.
Despite their turbulent history, Panettiere and Hickerson had reportedly rekindled their relationship before her death and had kept the romance relatively private.
The two traveled from Los Angeles to South Carolina shortly before Panettiere died. TMZ reported that Hickerson and his brother were inside the Airbnb at the time of the emergency.
Police reports also indicated that Hickerson gave officers a bag containing medication Panettiere had reportedly been taking. The specific medications were not publicly identified, and authorities have not determined whether any medication played a role in her death.
That distinction remains important: although emergency dispatch communications referenced a possible overdose, Panettiere’s official cause and manner of death remain undetermined.
The actress had long been open about struggles in her personal life, including addiction and the pressures she experienced as a child star. In the months before her death, she also spoke publicly about her strained relationship with her mother and revisited painful episodes from her past.
Now, as her family and loved ones mourn, those old tensions are reportedly resurfacing over who should have the strongest voice in planning her final farewell.
No official funeral or memorial arrangements have yet been publicly announced.