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Megyn Kelly unloaded on Hollywood over its treatment of child stars following Hayden Panettiere’s death at 36 — and tore into the actress’ on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson as an “absolute f–king douchebag.”
The former Fox News star said she was saddened but “not surprised” by Panettiere’s death, arguing on “The Megyn Kelly Show” that the “Heroes” actress was another example of the devastating toll childhood fame can take.
“Do not put your child into any industry that will make them a star as a minor,” Kelly warned parents.
“Don’t do it, no matter how badly you need the money, no matter how badly your child tells you it’s her dream or his dream — the answer is no, if you love them.”
Panettiere, who began appearing in commercials at just 11 months old, shot to fame playing indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s “Heroes” before starring as country singer Juliette Barnes on “Nashville.”
Her father confirmed her death to ABC News on Sunday. No cause of death or details about the circumstances surrounding it were immediately provided.
Kelly argued that Hollywood’s child-star machine can expose young performers to adult pressures and dangerous situations long before they are emotionally equipped to handle them.
“This industry builds them up and then rejects them,” Kelly said.
The SiriusXM host pointed to the troubled histories of former child stars including Amanda Bynes and the late River Phoenix, while also invoking Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore and Macaulay Culkin.
“For every Jodie Foster, there are far more River Phoenixes,” Kelly said.
She theorized that reaching extraordinary levels of fame as a child can leave young stars spending the rest of their lives trying to recapture what they come to view as their peak.
“If your child has her peak at age 17 or 11, it’s going to be very hard for her to feel like she’s a success after that,” Kelly said.
She was particularly scathing when discussing Hickerson, Panettiere’s former boyfriend, whose turbulent relationship with the actress previously resulted in a domestic-violence case.
“He’s an absolute f–king douchebag,” Kelly said of Hickerson, later calling him an “absolutely terrible person from what I can see.”
Hickerson pleaded no contest in 2021 to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend and was sentenced to 45 days in county jail and four years of formal probation.
Panettiere previously spoke publicly about surviving domestic abuse and said she hoped sharing her experience would encourage others in abusive relationships to seek help.
Kelly said she wanted to learn more about the circumstances leading up to Panettiere’s death.
Panettiere laid bare much of that history in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” which was published in May.
The former child star detailed her battles with alcohol and opioid addiction, postpartum depression, domestic abuse and the pressures she faced growing up in Hollywood.
Panettiere previously said she began abusing alcohol after moving to Tennessee to film “Nashville” in 2012. She shared that her drinking “ramped up” following the 2014 birth of her daughter, Kaya, when she also battled postpartum depression.
Kelly also took aim at Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, while discussing the actress’ account of being pushed into show business at an extraordinarily young age.
The talking head portrayed Vogel — who managed her daughter’s career after having pursued acting herself — as emblematic of the dangers of parents becoming enmeshed in their children’s Hollywood careers.
Panettiere had described reaching a point where she wanted Vogel to simply be her mother rather than her manager.
“The miracle is that she survived to age 36 with a mother like that,” Kelly said.
Kelly ultimately argued that the problem went beyond any individual parent, saying Hollywood itself had effectively taken over the parental role in Panettiere’s life.
“The real mother was Hollywood,” Kelly said.
“You’re doomed.”
The Post has sought comment from Hickerson.
English (US)