Megyn Kelly Calls Hayden Panettiere's Parents 'Enablers' After Star's 'Overdose' Death at 36 — 'They Can Ruin You in a Different Way'
Megyn Kelly recalled the loss of Hayden Panettiere.
Aug. 18 2026, Published 1:02 p.m. ET
Megyn Kelly weighed in on Hayden Panettiere's tragic death by alleged "overdose" – and she had some strong opinions.
On a recent installment of her podcast, the former Fox News host spoke with celebrity journalist Rob Schuter, who revealed no one in Hollywood was "shocked" by Panettiere's death. Kelly admitted she was among those who weren't surprised by the sad news, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Megyn Kelly Blames Hayden Panettiere's Family
Panettiere died on August 16.
Kelly pointed out that Panettiere took on the pressures of the entertainment industry from an early age, which she claimed can often set people up for failure in their older years.
"The industry can keep you afloat and a star and rich, and you can marry a supermodel, etc.," she explained. "But those demons that came into your life when you were 15 and too young to handle the things your parents allowed you to be subjected to. They can ruin you in a different way."
The podcast host also pointed out some parents' failure to protect their children from pitfalls in the industry.
"I don’t think it is a pattern we are ever going to correct for because there will always be parents who shove their child into the entertainment industry at too young and too precarious an age and don’t have the skills or the desire to rescue them from the fallout that inevitably comes," Kelly added.
Panettiere Likened to Marilyn Monroe
Kelly pointed out the similarities in their lives.
Panettiere's parents were not formally accused or charged with involvement in her death. Still, Kelly appeared to insinuate that they were "enablers."
In life, Panettiere was candid about her alcohol and drug dependency, admitting she was encouraged to use substances to keep her "peppy" on red carpets before she even knew what they were.
Kelly put some blame on Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel, claiming the actress had a tattered relationship with her. Vogel acted as her manager, helping procure work for Panettiere in her earlier days.
The Remember the Titans star previously admitted, "My mother wasn’t interested in having a normal relationship with me."
Kelly then likened their complex entanglement to Marilyn Monroe.
"Marilyn had a very damaged mother and had a childhood where she wasn’t a child actress but was passed from home to home. She never really had anybody to love her, and she wound up modeling and then becoming an actress… She never dealt with her childhood trauma, and she wound up allegedly taking a massive overdose and dying at age 36."
Kelly advised parents to keep their children in school, despite their on-screen success. She argued a brick-and-mortar school was critical for development.
"They need to not feel like little prisoners in their parents' money-making scheme," Kelly added, suggesting on-set tutors were not enough for socialization.
Panettiere Describes Struggles With Addiction
Panettiere became dependent on drugs and alcohol.
Panettiere wasn't shy about delving into her addiction issues in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.
She specifically recalled how she became dependent on medication after beginning treatment for postpartum depression. Amid her struggles, she also turned back to alcohol, and she eventually signed over custody of her daughter, Kaya, to her ex-partner Wladimir Klitschko.
Panettiere ultimately decided to check into treatment for both drug and alcohol addiction, coming out on the other side clean and filled with "joy." She began to rebuild her relationship with those around her, including her daughter.
Panettiere Suffers From Apparent Cardiac Arrest
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Her official cause of death is still pending.
Panettiere died on August 16.
Her official cause of death has not been revealed, but it is suspected that it may have been related to drug use as Narcan was found in her apartment. The medication is used to stop an opioid overdose instantly, but it's unclear if Panettiere kept it for personal use or for preventative safety measures for others.
First responders arrived at her apartment complex on Sunday afternoon after a call regarding an "unidentified" female. She was treated for an apparent "overdose," according to 911 records. While they performed life-saving measures for a "cardiac arrest," they were unsuccessful.
In a statement to ABC News, her father confirmed, "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen."
