Ruby Rose Mourns Best Friend Hayden Panettiere in Emotional Tribute
Actor Ruby Rose grew emotional during a September 18 interview with Entertainment Tonight, opening up about her five-year, daily friendship with late actor Hayden Panettiere, who died in August at age 36. Speaking ahead of the premiere of Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, Rose reflected on their close bond as investigators await final autopsy results in Greenville, South Carolina.
An Unlikely Bond Formed in Hollywood
“I didn’t know if I wanted to have any celebrity friends, ’cause I haven’t had a great experience with the industry,” Rose told Entertainment Tonight. Despite her reservations, Panettiere approached her directly. “I saw her, she saw me, and I just remember thinking, ‘Oh, no.’ And then she ran up anyway and was like, ‘Hey, I’m Hayden. Can we go talk somewhere? We’ve got a lot in common,'” Rose recalled.
That initial conversation sparked a resilient connection. Rose shared these memories while promoting the upcoming reality series alongside fellow cast member Collin Gosselin.
The Shared Weight of Childhood Stardom and Industry Pressure
During the interview, Rose emphasized what mattered most to her late friend. “Hayden, all that she ever wanted was to have her story told her way, on her terms,” Rose stated. Panettiere had recently detailed the intense pressures of growing up in the spotlight in her May memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, where she discussed her relationship with her mother, Lesley Vogel, and the demanding environment of child acting.
“I was groomed. I was like a little soldier and I always have been,” Panettiere told The Hollywood Reporter while promoting the book. “No was never an option.”
Investigation and Toxicology Timeline
Panettiere was found unresponsive on August 16 at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, alongside her on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson. Emergency personnel found her in cardiac arrest. Chief Deputy Coroner Shelton England of the Greenville County Coroner’s Office stated that final toxicology results, which will establish the official cause and manner of death, are anticipated within weeks. Both local and federal authorities continue an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
As the entertainment community processes the loss, close friends like Rose continue to honor her memory through public tributes. “Missing Hayden more than life today,” Rose wrote in a September 14 post on Threads.
Disclaimer: The views and cultural analyses presented in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only. Information regarding legal disputes or financial data is based on available public records.
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