An ongoing controversy surrounding the skincare brand Neutrogena has resurfaced following the recent passing of Hayden Panettiere.
Panettiere, known for her roles in TV shows like Heroes and movies like Bring it On: All or Nothing, had been a global ambassador for Neutrogena from 2005 to 2015.
In 2014, she welcomed a daughter and in 2015, she publicly discussed her battle with postpartum depression on Live with Kelly and Michael.
After this revelation, her long-standing collaboration with Neutrogena came to an end.
During an interview on Jay Shetty’s podcast On Purpose in May, Panettiere claimed that Neutrogena attempted to terminate her contract in 2015 due to her comments about postpartum depression, citing a morality clause.
Despite her representative’s intervention, Panettiere believed she would not be asked back to represent Neutrogena the following year.
Fans and co-stars mourned the death of 36-year-old actor Hayden Panettiere, best known for roles in Heroes and Nashville. Police are investigating the cause of her death, but said there are no signs of foul play.
Reflecting on the incident in 2015, Panettiere expressed her disappointment in the lack of communication from Neutrogena, highlighting the stigma surrounding postpartum depression.
CBC News reached out to Kenvue, Neutrogena’s parent company, for further clarification on the termination of the partnership with Panettiere but did not receive a response.
In 2018, Panettiere entrusted full custody of her daughter Kaya to her former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko during her struggles with addiction and postpartum depression.
Fan Movement Against Neutrogena
Fans initiated a boycott against Neutrogena following the podcast episode. One beauty influencer incorporated the podcast audio into a video titled “Neutrogena hates women!”
With Hayden Panettiere’s recent passing, fans have reignited their criticism towards Neutrogena.
Over the past few days, they have flooded Neutrogena’s Instagram and Threads accounts, urging the company to address the allegations publicly.
One user, kelseycombe, commented on Threads, “Hey so you should probably address the fact that you fired Hayden Panettiere after she spoke out about her battles with postpartum depression … and now she’s dead,” garnering over 70,000 likes.
“So @neutrogena