Director Says Hayden Panettiere Was ‘Fighting to Stay Sober’ During One of Her Final Films

Griff Furst, a filmmaker who directed the 2025 film A Breed Apart, says Hayden Panettiere was troubled and "fighting to stay sober" during her time onset for the movie.

He also says that her team asked him to participate in a potential intervention, which never took place, for the star.

Furst reflected on Panettiere's death on social media this week, also saying that he felt she deserved "better company" than Brian Hickerson, the on-again, off-again boyfriend who reportedly accompanied her to the set of A Breed Apart.

Director Griff Furst Says Hayden Panettiere Was Struggling to Stay Sober Before Her Death

The director made it clear that he could only speak to what he saw when Hayden was on his set, filming for the 2025 movie A Breed Apart.

During that time, he says he noted that she appeared to be struggling.

"A producer or director, no matter how certain you are that an actor or crew member is in a bad situation, you don't have the proof, or the benefit of the time to verify it," Furst clarifies. "I mean, you can adjust the schedule, you can collect internal reporting, you can assign a handler to maker sure that that individual is being taken care of as best that they can."

Hayden Panettiere's Boyfriend Brian Hickerson Accompanied Her to the Set

Brian Hickerson — Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend, who pleaded no contest to domestic violence charges in connection with her in 2021 — was on the set with her, per Furst's statement.

Read More: Who is Hayden Panettiere's On-Again, Off-Again Boyfriend Brian Hickerson?

"It is my opinion, and it's only about what I saw on my own set, was somebody fighting to stay sober who deserved better company around them than what I observed," he notes.

Hickerson was present with Panettiere at the time of her death, according to police reports, along with his brother.

Hayden Panettiere's Team Was Reportedly Considering An Intervention After A Breed Apart Filming Wrapped

Furst says he stayed in touch with Panettiere's team after they worked together, and they later reached out.

"What eventually got determined was that she might need an intervention, and I was asked to participate. And I said yes," he recounts. "And that intervention did not happen, not that I'm aware of."

"I wasn't leading the charge on it," he elaborates, "it would not have been appropriate for me."

Though it doesn't sound like they were especially close, Furst says he was "rooting for" Panettiere to beat the addiction issues she'd been open about publicly.

Read More: Hayden Panettiere Dead at 36: Here's What We Know

"When I think about this, it's not just a Hayden story," he says, "because I grew up on movie sets and I know a whole lot of child actors very well. I understand what it does to somebody to be put in front of the camera before they're old enough to consent. Hayden started acting when she was 11 months old."

He also said that Hollywood has "an extremely sad history of stars not getting the help that they deserve," and that the infrastructure of the industry lacks an effective way to address the problem.

Furst concluded his post by mentioning two links to resources specifically designed for those in the industry. One of those is the Entertainment Community Fund, which provides crisis counseling and other support for entertainment professionals struggling with mental health.

The other is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which includes the 24/7 crisis hotline: 1-800-662-4357.

How Did Hayden Panettiere Die?

• Hayden Panettiere died on Aug. 16. She was 36 years old.
• First responders rushed to a residence in Greenville, S.C. after a 911 call about an unresponsive person in cardiac arrest.
• Despite advanced lifesaving measures, they were unable to revive her, and Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene.

Panettiere began her career as a child actor, and was known for her roles in Nashville, Heroes, the Scream films and more.

Initial reports have suggested that Panettiere — who had a long history of postpartum depression and addiction — died of an overdose, but toxicology results have not confirmed that. The cause of her death is pending, though early autopsy results did indicate that there was no trauma to her body that would have caused her death.