Justin Chatwin has spoken out about Hayden Panettiere’s emotional state during what became her final film role.
Chatwin, 43, said on Monday that the late actress was “struggling” and “really lonely” while shooting the psychological thriller “Sleepwalker” last February. The Canadian-born actor, who played Panettiere’s abusive husband in the film, said he had known her from earlier in their careers and noticed a marked change in her demeanor during production.
“Hayden seemed different when I met her this time than when I met her in the early years,” Chatwin recalled in his interview with the magazine. The “Shameless” star, who has been sober for 15 years, said he recognized signs of difficulty in his co-star that extended beyond the demanding subject matter of their film.
“We hit it off great, and it was an awesome shoot but it was about domestic abuse and it was subject matter that may have hit close to home, because she did mention it,” Chatwin said. The film cast Panettiere as a mother grappling with the loss of her daughter in a car accident, while also depicting the domestic violence her character endured.
Chatwin said he tried to identify the source of her distress during their time working together. “I could tell she was struggling, and I was like, ‘I don’t think it’s this movie,'” he said, suggesting troubles beyond the set were weighing on her.
The actor spoke warmly of their connection despite observing her difficulties. “There’s a handful of women that I’ve worked with that I really liked, and I really loved working with her, but I also know that she was really lonely,” he said.
Chatwin described Panettiere as forthcoming about her personal battles during their time on set. “She was authentic… about her life and she opened up about her struggles with addiction,” he said. “She was delightful and super open and we had a great time together and I’m just saddened that another one got taken down.”
Brandon Auman, the writer and director of “Sleepwalker,” also shared his memories of working with Panettiere in a statement to People. He described her as a “bright, open, [and] numinous spirit.”
“She was open and honest about the last few years of her life and how it related to her character,” Auman said. “I’m keeping those conversations private, but I was struck by how complex and deeply introspective she was. She lived a dozen lives in one short beautiful life. I’ll miss her forever.”
In the viral moment that preceded this outpouring of recollections, Panettiere was found unresponsive inside a Greenville, South Carolina, apartment on Sunday after suffering cardiac arrest following a suspected overdose. She was discovered by an unidentified acquaintance, having flown out of Los Angeles the previous day with on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson. She died five days before her 37th birthday. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said at autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered, with cause and manner of death pending further investigation.
Panettiere’s death came just three months after she published her memoir “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” in which she detailed her battles with alcohol and opioid addiction, postpartum depression, domestic abuse, and the pressures of child stardom. She had given up custody of her daughter Kaya, now 11, who lives with ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko in Ukraine. Hickerson has admitted to being abusive toward her.