By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-18 17:57:23 | Updated at 2026-08-20 02:20:28
1 day ago
Neutrogena has come under fierce fire for dropping Hayden Panettiere after she revealed her battle with postpartum depression.
Back in May, in one of her final interviews before her death, Panettiere alleged that the beloved skincare company, who she had worked with for nearly a decade, had invoked a morality clause in her contract in 2015, shortly after she discussed her experience with postpartum depression publicly for the first time.
She admitted that news 'broke her heart' and had a 'huge impact on her life.'
The actress's bombshell claims about the brand resurfaced this week following her shock passing at age 36, and they sparked immense backlash for Neutrogena.
During an appearance on the On Purpose podcast with Jay Shetty in May, Panettiere opened up about how she lost her decade-long deal with Neutrogena.
Panettiere asserted that after she discussed her mental health battle publicly for the first time during an appearance on Live With Kelly and Michael in 2015, she had a call with the company during which she learned the brand wanted to terminate her contract under a 'morality clause.'
Panettiere acknowledged that, growing up, she'd had paparazzi catching 'every glory moment' of her adolescence, including 'every cigarette that I smoked or bad outfit.' According to the actress, of all the things Neutrogena would 'fire [her] over, this was the last thing' she expected.
'It just came up, and I was just being honest,' she said of her decision to discuss her mental health battle on Live With Kelly and Michael.
Back in May, in one of her final interviews before her death, Hayden Panettiere alleged that Neutrogena had invoked a morality clause in her contract in 2015, shortly after she discussed her experience with postpartum depression publicly for the first time
Panettiere first became associated with Neutrogena in 2006, with the partnership lasting almost a decade
'Never for a second did I think or care that anyone would have a bad reaction to it. It was my truth.
'So when I got that call that Neutrogena wanted to fire me over that ... I'd worked with these people for 10 years, and I remember not hearing a word from anybody, not a "great working with you for 10 years," "hope you're good, we wish you well." And I remember that really breaking my heart.'
Panettiere first became associated with Neutrogena in 2006, with the partnership lasting almost a decade.
For many years, millennials bought the products because they loved her cheerful commercials, in which she splashed water on her face and praised the products.
Panettiere and her former fiancé, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, had welcomed their daughter Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, in December 2014 following a difficult birth.
During her appearance on Live With Kelly and Michael less than a year later, she was discussing her Nashville character Juliette Barnes, who struggled with postpartum depression in the show, and confessed that she could 'very much relate' to the storyline. It was the first time she publicly talked about her mental health.
She said: 'There's a lot of misunderstanding, and I feel like there's a lot of people out there who think that it's not real.
'It's completely uncontrollable, and it's really painful, and it's really scary, and women need a lot of support. It’s something a lot of women experience.'
The actress's bombshell claims about the brand resurfaced this week following her shock passing at age 36, and they sparked immense backlash for Neutrogena
Panettiere, who would have turned 37 on August 21, was found 'unresponsive' by officers and paramedics in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday, and was later pronounced dead at the scene following a suspected overdose. She's seen in 2008
She added that she decided to speak about her personal life because she wanted other women to know they were not alone.
The Heroes star's comments about Neutrogena have gone viral amid her shock passing, leaving many fans furious, with some even calling for a boycott of the brand.
In a Reddit thread about the topic, one person wrote: 'I don’t use their products, but I sure will never start now.'
Others reminisced about how Panettiere's commercials were a 'core memory in millennial life' leading them to buy the products and wash their faces just like her.
One person said that the former child star 'legit helped build their brand,' which was a popular sentiment.
In the Reddit therapists forum, a social media user wrote that they were 'absolutely outraged to learn that the brand Neutrogena had fired her from a 10-year partnership after she spoke out about her experience with PPD on a live TV interview.'
They continued: 'This is just more evidence of women being silenced and shamed for mental health struggles, particularly postpartum, and I am NOT here for it.'
Panettiere, who would have turned 37 on August 21, was found 'unresponsive' by officers and paramedics in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday, and was later pronounced dead at the scene following a suspected overdose.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Neutrogena for comment.
