Hayden Panettiere’s mother Lesley Vogel slams Gayle King over criticism following daughter’s death

Vogel also defended her decision to speak publicly about Hayden’s struggles and her complicated relationship

Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, is pushing back against Gayle King and other media figures who criticised her public comments following the death of her daughter.

Vogel, who was estranged from Panettiere before the actress died at 36 on August 16, called the criticism “shameful” in a new interview with the Daily Mail. She also defended her decision to speak publicly about Hayden’s struggles and her complicated relationship with her on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson.

The dispute began after Vogel spoke to NBC News following Panettiere’s death. While mourning her daughter, Vogel said she believed Hayden had “lost her way” and expressed regret that she had not remained true to herself. She also blamed what she described as the influence of a “toxic individual,” an apparent reference to Hickerson, for contributing to the estrangement between mother and daughter.

Those comments drew a strong reaction from King during the August 19 episode of CBS Mornings. After reading Vogel’s statement on air, King called it “sad” and questioned why a mother would focus on her daughter’s struggles immediately following her death.

“All I can think is, ‘Thanks, Mom, for nothing,’” King said. Her co-host Vladimir Duthiers also questioned whether it was appropriate to revisit Panettiere’s difficulties when she was no longer alive to respond.

Vogel has now responded, saying she was deeply hurt by the criticism. She argued that the people commenting on her relationship with Hayden did not understand what had happened privately between them.

The mother and daughter had a complicated relationship for years. Panettiere had previously discussed their estrangement and the difficulties of having her mother involved in both her personal life and career. In her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, she described tensions surrounding Vogel’s role as both her mother and manager. Despite their distance, Panettiere had also expressed hope that they could eventually reconcile.

Vogel has maintained that the estrangement was largely caused by another person in Hayden’s life. While she did not initially name Hickerson, her later comments have made clear that she believes he had a damaging influence on her daughter.

She has also questioned Hickerson’s account of the circumstances surrounding Panettiere’s death. Hickerson's brother, Zach, previously said that he and Brian found Panettiere unconscious and performed CPR while waiting for emergency responders. Vogel has publicly questioned aspects of that account, saying she believes there are inconsistencies that need to be investigated.

Hickerson has a documented history with Panettiere. The pair dated on and off, and Panettiere previously accused him of physical and emotional abuse. He was convicted of domestic violence-related charges in 2021 and served time in jail.

Vogel’s comments also come as the circumstances surrounding Panettiere’s death remain under investigation. Authorities have not announced a final cause of death, and officials have said there were no initial signs of foul play. Toxicology and other examinations are expected to provide additional information.

The controversy has also expanded into a broader conversation about Panettiere’s experience as a child star. Former child actors including Anna Paquin and Melissa Gilbert have recently spoken about the need for stronger protections and support for young performers following her death.

For Vogel, however, the focus remains personal. She has defended her right to speak about her daughter and the circumstances she believes contributed to their estrangement, while rejecting the suggestion that her comments were intended to diminish Hayden’s memory.

The public dispute between Vogel and King comes as Panettiere’s family, friends and former co-stars continue to mourn her death, while questions surrounding her final days remain unresolved.