Neutrogena Pledges Support for Women Following Backlash Over Hayden Panettiere's Death

Neutrogena released a statement on Thursday promising to increase its investments in women's support following several days of intense social media criticism surrounding the death of actor and activist Hayden Panettiere.

The skincare company faced public scrutiny because Panettiere previously stated that Neutrogena chose not to renew her advertising contract after she began speaking publicly about her postpartum depression.

“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,” the beauty brand stated. “This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be.”

In response, the company announced a "significant investment" in a community health group aimed at supporting more women, specifically including those seeking care for postpartum depression.

According to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office, Panettiere was discovered in cardiac arrest shortly before her passing on Sunday. A postmortem examination revealed no evidence of trauma contributing to her death, while her official cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation, additional studies, and toxicology reports.

Born in New York on August 21, 1989, Panettiere started acting in commercials at just 11 months old and secured her first television role at age six in the soap opera One Life to Live. She subsequently appeared in Guiding Light, Ally McBeal, Malcolm in the Middle, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Her major breakthrough occurred in the superhero drama series Heroes, broadcast from 2006 to 2010, where she portrayed Claire Bennet, a high-school cheerleader with spontaneous regeneration abilities. The line “Save the cheerleader, save the world” became one of the program's most iconic catchphrases.

Additionally, Panettiere was an active environmentalist, frequently participating in demonstrations to raise awareness for dolphin conservation.