Holly Robinson Peete slams Hayden Panettiere’s mom over statement on star’s death: ‘Nothing you say has any integrity’

Joey NolfiThu, August 20, 2026 at 2:15 PM UTC

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Hayden Panettiere; Holly Robinson PeeteCredit: Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic; Dimitrios Kambouris/GettyKey Points -

Actress Holly Robinson Peete slammed Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, over the latter’s statement on her daughter’s death at age 36.

“She didn’t even say ‘I will miss my daughter’ or ‘I loved my daughter the best way I could,’” Peete wrote online.

Peete added: “There were so many things she could have said to show us that she was a caring” parent.

Actress Holly Robinson Peete has spoken out against Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, after the latter’s controversial statement on her daughter’s death over the weekend at age 36.

The 61-year-old 21 Jump Street alum slammed Vogel Wednesday online, writing on X (below) that, while “we know this young lady clearly had so many issues,” she still took issue with Vogel’s assessment in the wake of the Nashville and Heroes star’s death.

Peete said that “if you’re not gonna take accountability for the fact that you put her in the business that eventually messed her up, then nothing you say has any integrity,” with regard to Vogel’s initial statement that lamented her daughter going down what she called “the wrong path” after child stardom.

“She didn’t even say ‘I will miss my daughter’ or ‘I loved my daughter the best way I could,’” Peete continued in her own statement. “Has she even mentioned the word daughter?”

She added, “There were so many things she could have said to show us that she was a caring mother… And now both of her children are gone. It is all so tragic. RIP Hayden.” (Peete’s statement referenced the death of Panettiere’s younger brother, Jansen, who died in 2023 at age 28.)

Panettiere’s mother initially reacted to news of her daughter’s death in an interview with NBC News, in which she again criticized Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and added, “I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry — it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.”

Before her Aug. 16 death in Greenville, S.C., Panettiere had long spoken about her past struggle with alcohol and opioids, and also opened up about her volatile relationship with Vogel.

Upon the release of Panettiere’s memoir This Is Meearlier this year, Vogel told Page Six that she felt her daughter’s book came from an “entitled” place, and that “the present drama is partially to sell books.”

Vogel added, “There is a personality ‘style’ which manifests as a need for control, entitlement, and a lack of empathy,” and, “The major fear is that someone will see through the mask they present to the world and discover who they truthfully are.”

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Hayden Panettiere and her mother Lesley VogelCredit: Lester Cohen/WireImage

Without naming Panettiere specifically, she continued, “this condition cannot be ‘fixed’” and “this personality style does not accept responsibility for life choices and therefore feels they have no need to alter their behavior.”

Hickerson additionally previously acknowledged his history with Panettiere amid rollout for Panettiere’s book, telling TMZ that “the domestic violence stuff, I think it’s like page 272, my chapter,” before urging, “Everybody should read it.” He also slammed Vogel in the conversation, criticizing her as “by far one of the worst people I’ve ever met in my life.”

CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King — who interviewed Panettiere on the air for the last time in May — also spoke out against Vogel in recent days. The TV journalist began Wednesday’s show by calling Vogel’s NBC News statement “sad” before stating, “You know, guys, you read this and all I can think is, ‘Thanks, Mom, for nothing.’” (Entertainment Weekly’s attempts to contact Vogel were unsuccessful.)

In her final EW interview, Panettiere told us ahead of the This Is Me release that “this was the first project where there was nobody there to direct me or give me real guidance,” and that she “just had to have a lot of trust in myself” while writing it.

Hayden Panettiere and mom Lesley VogelCredit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

“I’m excited that the book’s done, but I’m also terrified all at the same time, which I think you’re supposed to feel when you’ve done something that you really put your heart and soul into,” she said at the time.

Panettiere was found unresponsive at an apartment in Greenville, S.C. on Sunday, with a coroner’s report obtained by EW indicating that emergency personnel responded to a call for help at around 2 p.m. local time. The actress was found unresponsive at the residence, with the coroner noting in a statement that there were no signs of trauma found on her body that would’ve contributed to her death.

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“The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies. This investigation remains active and ongoing,” the statement read. “No further details are available for release at this time.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.

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