Actress Melissa Gilbert urges stronger safeguards for former child performers after Hayden Panettiere's death
Melissa Gilbert called for union action and privacy protections for former child actors, citing recent deaths of several young women in the industry.
Actress Melissa Gilbert wrote in a Substack essay that the recent death of Hayden Panettiere highlights a need for better protections for former child performers. Although she did not know Panettiere personally, Gilbert said the loss feels personal because she, too, began her career as a child and has worked with other actors who have died in the past year. She questioned the entertainment industry's response, asking where unions, regulations and privacy safeguards are in addressing the mental-health and addiction challenges faced by former child stars. Gilbert concluded that concrete steps are required to prevent further tragedies.
Gilbert's comments come as her husband, Timothy Busfield, awaits trial in New Mexico on allegations of child sexual abuse. Panettiere, who began acting as an infant and rose to prominence in films such as "Remember the Titans" and television series including "Malcolm in the Middle," died at age 32.