Hayden Panettiere says her body was 'bloated' after her brother's death, causing agoraphobia

Hayden Panettiere has spoken about the physical changes she experienced following the death of her younger brother Jansen.

The Scream 6 The actress lost her brother in February 2023, when he was 28 years old. In a statement at the time, her family announced the cause of death, writing: “While it is of little comfort, the coroner reported that Jansen's sudden death was due to cardiomegaly (enlargement of the heart) associated with aortic valve complications.”

The actress recently spoke with People for her September cover story, explaining that she gained weight while processing the loss of her brother.

“I just bloated,” she told the outlet, noting that she gained 40 pounds in a short period of time. “It didn't matter what I did, what I ate. I know stress and cortisol coursing through the body can do that. Now I believe my body was protecting itself and shielding itself from the world.”

The Heroines Alum added that the weight gain made her feel unsafe to leave the house for fear of being photographed.

“I had to see horrible paparazzi photos of myself coming out of Jansen's funeral, which was in a very private place, and it was shocking,” the actress said. “I didn't recognize myself. My agoraphobia, which I've struggled with in the past, came to the fore.”

Open image in gallery

Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder that, according to the Mayo Clinic, causes fear or general avoidance of situations in which a person may feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed. “For example, you may be afraid of using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line, or being in a crowd,” the clinic explains.

Panettiere explained that her agoraphobia stems from being constantly in front of the camera as a child actress from a young age. “Growing up in this industry, you're terrified if you don't look presentable when you walk out the door,” she said.

“For me it started when I was 16, an age when you're not comfortable with your changing body – and you certainly don't need grown men to comment on it. [our] uncertainties.”

She mentioned that her depression got worse after returning to film Nashville three months after the birth of her daughter Kaya.

“No woman should have to be on camera unless she wants to be three months postpartum,” Panettiere said. “I just stuffed every ounce of booze into Spanx and it just added to my depression and my self-image. They say you should talk to yourself the way you talk to your friends, but I was very, very guilty of talking terribly to myself.”

Panettiere has spoken openly in the past about her problems with substance abuse after giving birth. She told E! News' overview in March last year: “I wish I knew about postnatal depression. I wish I knew to look out for it. I just thought there was something seriously wrong with me, so I thought, 'Fireball will fix it – sure!' but it didn't. It does for a moment, but then it makes everything worse.”