Kate Hudson is remembering Raising Helen costar Hayden Panettiere three months after the actress’ shocking death.
“She was incredible,” Kate, 47, said during the Tuesday, November 10, episode of her and brother Oliver Hudson’s “Sibling Revelry” podcast, describing Panettiere as “fierce” and “strong-willed.”
Raising Helen, a 2004 romantic comedy/family drama, stars Hudson as Helen Harris, a New York City party girl who focused on her fashion career until the unexpected death of her sister and brother-in-law, leaving Helen to raise their three children. Panettiere played the couple’s eldest child, Audrey. The film also stars Joan Cusack, John Corbin, Abigail Breslin, Spencer Breslin, Helen Mirren, Felicity Huffman, Kevin Kilner and Sean O’Bryan.
Oliver, 50, also worked with Panettiere on the ABC and CMT drama Nashville, which aired from 2012 to 2016. Panettiere played Juliette Barnes on all six seasons, while Oliver joined the show in season 3 as Jeff Fordham.
“She was amazing. So much fun. We had the best time. Specifically, her and I and Will Chase on that show. We had so much fun,” he said on Tuesday.
Oliver continued, “No one remembered lines like her. She would come in the trailer and — I’m not good at memorization, it takes me a while. I gotta get it in. She wouldn’t even know her lines, come into the makeup trailer, have huge chunks of dialogue, pick up her sides, read it once or twice, throw it down. Boom, she’s in.”
Hayden’s father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement to Us on August 16. She was 36.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” he said in a statement. “We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, confirmed to Us that they had responded to reports of an “unresponsive female” at a residence, who was later identified as Hayden.
News broke in September that Hayden’s death was caused by “toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine.” The manner of her death was determined to be an accident.
“An autopsy was completed by a Board Certified Forensic Pathologist. At autopsy, no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,” read a statement from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.
A rep for the actress told Us at the time, “The investigation is still ongoing and the case is complex.” (Police announced in October that the investigation had concluded.)
In addition to Raising Helen and Nashville, Hayden was known for her roles in the soap opera One Life to Live and Guiding Light, the series Heroes and the films Remember the Titans and Ice Princess.
