"I feel forced to address it"— Hayden Panettiere addresses the controversy surrounding recent interview, criticizes toxicity of social media

Hayden Panettiere spoke about the controversy regarding her current mental health and sobriety after fans became concerned about her well-being following an interview with People magazine. The actress wrote her side of the story in an Instagram post on Sunday, September 22, adding that she felt "forced" to address the issue.

"It's unfathomable that I'm even in this position, but I feel forced to address it in a space where I won't be criticized for how fast or slow I speak." She wrote in the post.

For the unversed, People shared a clip of the interview with Panettiere on Wednesday, September 18, via Instagram, which garnered a lot of backlash from netizens. In the video, the actress appeared to slur her speech and have glazed eyes. Following this, many social media users claimed that the publication shouldn't have released the clip.

The Amber Alert actress noted in her recent post that she was "exhausted" during the on-camera interview, which she did after several hours of shooting. She explained:

"I hadn't slept for two days prior to the shoot due to one of my dogs who was recovering from an emergency surgical procedure. It was an 8-hour shoot followed by an on-camera interview that was supposed to last for 1 hour."

Hayden Panettiere further explained that her representative, who was with her during the shoot, "stopped the interview early" once it became obvious to them that she was "fading."

She further wrote that when they suggested re-doing the whole thing on another day or doing a follow-up interview via Zoom, the interviewer allegedly told them that "it wasn't necessary." She also noted that the magazine told them they would edit it and that "it would be a good piece."

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Hayden Panettiere said it's "none of anyone's business" whether or not she's on medication

Hayden Panettiere also addressed the allegations that social media users made about her being under the influence during the interview with People. She claimed it wasn't anyone's business to inquire about that matter.

"Grief looks different on everyone. Whether or not I am on medication is none of anyone's business and is between me and my doctor."

The actress previously opened up about her grief surrounding her brother's death due to an enlarged heart during the Wednesday interview with People. She said that she "will always be heartbroken about it."

In her latest Instagram post, Hayden Panettiere mentioned that she's doing interviews to promote her latest movie because she's proud of it. She also claimed that the real issue behind the recent controversy was the "toxicity of social media and a news cycle that is driven by clickbait."

Panettiere also expressed gratitude for those who defended her in the situation and called out the people "hiding behind a computer screen," adding that what they say can "have a detrimental impact on someone." She reiterated the importance of mental health and claimed that she is "a work in progress."