LOS ANGELES, Aug 21 — Skincare brand Neutrogena has acknowledged making Hayden Panettiere “feel unsupported during a very difficult time”, as the late actor’s claims about being dropped by the skincare brand for speaking publicly about postpartum depression fuel renewed backlash and boycott calls.

Panettiere, the Heroes and Nashville actor, died on Sunday aged 36.

Since her death, passages from her 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, detailing the end of her decade-long relationship with Neutrogena have circulated widely online.

“We are deeply saddened by Hayden Panettiere’s passing,” the company said in a statement posted to social media yesterday.

“For more than a decade, Hayden was a valued member of our Neutrogena community.

“We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time. This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be.”

Panettiere claimed in her memoir that Neutrogena sought to end its relationship with her after she discussed receiving treatment for postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014.

She had spoken about her diagnosis on Live! with Kelly and Michael in 2015.

“Neutrogena cancelled my long-standing contract, and it was yet another blow in a year that had given almost nothing else,” she wrote.

The account drew criticism when her memoir was published in May, with boycott calls resurfacing following her death. Neutrogena’s social media pages have also been flooded with critical comments.

Panettiere elaborated on the episode during an appearance on Jay Shetty’s podcast in May, saying she was told that speaking publicly about postpartum depression had breached a morality clause in her contract.

“Neutrogena was a huge part of my life,” she said.

“I had the morals clauses, they caught absolutely everything. And of all the things that they would fire me over, this is the last thing that I thought they would ever fire me for.”

She said she had spoken publicly because she was “just being honest. Never for a second did I think or care that anyone would have a bad reaction to it. It was my truth.”

According to Panettiere, her representative challenged the company’s position.

“So when I got that call that Neutrogena wanted to fire me over that, my representative at the time said, ‘That’s illegal. You can’t do that,’” she recalled.

“Even though she saved the day that year, I knew that that was going to be it. I was not going to be invited back the next year.”

The loss of the relationship, she said, remained painful.

“And I had worked with these people for 10 years and I remember not hearing a word from anybody... I remember that really breaking my heart,” she added.

Neutrogena said it would make a “significant investment to a long-standing community health partner” to support women’s health, with details to be released “when plans are in place”.

It also explained why it had not responded earlier.

“Out of respect for Hayden’s family and loved ones, we did not want to speak out so soon following her passing. Everyone at Neutrogena extends their deepest condolences to Hayden’s family and all who loved her,” the company said.