Rose McGowan and Anna Paquin call for greater protections for child stars while paying tribute to Hayden Panettiere

Hayden Panettiere’s tragic death has triggered conversations about the lack of protections offered to child stars, with Rose McGowan, Anna Paquin and more calling for tighter regulations.

READ MORE: Hayden Panettiere’s ‘Heroes’ character Claire Bennet is an underrated sci-fi icon On Friday (August 21), both McGowan and Paquin shared moving tributes to the late actress, who died at age 36, while each taking aim at the “profoundly sad” treatment of child actors.

Famous for her roles in Heroes , Nashville , and the Scream franchise, Panettiere died in her home in South Carolina on August 16 .

Her death was announced by her father Skip, who described her as “an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her”.

An official cause of death has not been disclosed, but 911 dispatch audio revealed medical personnel were treating her for a “suspected overdose”.

“Rest in Power Hayden Panettiere.

Don’t put kids in show business,” McGowan urged on social media.

“None of this is normal.

May her spirit be free of those who orchestrated.” McGowan is a fellow alum of the Scream franchise, having portrayed Tatum Riley in the 1996 original before Panettiere starred as Kirby Reed in Scream 4 and Scream VI .

Paquin echoed that sentiment, writing: “It’s not a coincidence that so many former, specifically pre-sexualized female, child ‘stars’ have profoundly sad lives and untimely ends,” she continued on Instagram.

“We were not as protected by the ‘systems’ that look great on paper, as we are supposed to be.” ‘Scream’ alum Rose McGowan pays tribute to #HaydenPanettiere on Instagram: “Rest in Power Hayden Panettiere.

Don’t put kids in show business.

None of this is normal.

May her spirit be free of those who orchestrated.” pic.twitter.com/NKsWJ80KsT — Ghostface Got Bangs (@ghostfacebangs) August 21, 2026 View this post on Instagram “RIP [Hayden Panettiere], [Michelle Trachtenberg], [Daveigh Chase] and too many others.