Neutrogena acknowledges past treatment of former ambassador Hayden Panettiere
The skincare brand said it regrets making Panettiere feel unsupported and announced a pledge to support postpartum-depression resources after criticism resurfaced following her death.
Neutrogena posted on Instagram on Thursday that it regrets making former brand ambassador Hayden Panettiere feel unsupported during a difficult period and expressed condolences to her family. The company, which partnered with Panettiere from 2005 to 2015, described her as a "valued member of our Neutrogena community" for more than a decade.
Panettiere was found unresponsive in South Carolina on Sunday and was pronounced dead at the scene; the cause of death remains under investigation. After her death, a podcast interview from earlier this year resurfaced in which she said Neutrogena ended their relationship over a "morals clause" after she discussed her experience with postpartum depression.
"We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time," the brand wrote in the Instagram statement.
Neutrogena said it delayed issuing a comment out of respect for Panettiere’s family and pledged a "significant investment" to a long-standing community health partner to expand access to support for women, including care for postpartum depression. A company spokesperson declined to provide further details about the terms of Panettiere’s contract.
In a May appearance on the "On Purpose" podcast, Panettiere said she did not intend to discuss postpartum depression but felt compelled to be honest, and she believed the brand’s decision to end the partnership was illegal. Her memoir, released in May, also detailed her struggles with postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter in 2014.