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

Neutrogena released a statement on Thursday promising a larger investment to support women following days of social media criticism surrounding the death of actor and activist Hayden Panettiere.

The skincare company faced intense backlash because Hayden 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.”

The company announced it is making a “significant investment” in a community health group to aid more women, which includes individuals seeking care for postpartum depression.

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

Born in New York on August 21, 1989, Hayden Panettiere began appearing in commercials at just 11 months old and secured her first acting 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 breakthrough role occurred in the superhero drama Heroes, which aired from 2006 to 2010. She portrayed Claire Bennet, a high-school cheerleader possessing the ability to spontaneously regenerate, inspiring the famous catchphrase “Save the cheerleader, save the world.” Hayden Panettiere was also dedicated to environmental activism, frequently participating in demonstrations to raise awareness for dolphin conservation.