Michelle Rodriguez has said it is “not normal” how many young stars have died recently, following the death of actress Hayden Panettiere.
The American actress died aged 36 at her home in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday.
Panettiere hosted the World Music Awards in 2010 alongside The Fast And The Furious star Rodriguez, who was asked about the star’s death when attending an event this week.
Rodriguez's tribute to Panettiere
Speaking to Variety on the red carpet, the 48-year-old said she would remember Panettiere for her “curious spirit and how happy and joyous” she was.
She continued: “I’ve got to tell you, man, I just can’t stand how many young people are leaving us lately.
“It’s disheartening, and it’s making me think, ‘What’s going on?’ It’s not normal.”
She then added: “I don’t want to speculate about anything, but it’s weird. Just in general, the amount and the volume of it since 2010 to now, it’s a lot.”
Death follows that of Michelle Trachtenberg
Panettiere’s death follows that of her former Ice Princess co-star Michelle Trachtenberg, who died aged 39 last year from complications caused by diabetes.
Tim Fywell, the director of the 2005 Disney movie, paid tribute to both actresses.
In a statement to Variety, he said: “It was really upsetting to hear yesterday of the death of Hayden Panettiere at the age of 36. I remember a brave, sparky, dedicated young actress who lit up the set in rehearsals and then the screen with her vibrant talent.
“Michelle Trachtenberg, Hayden’s co-star in the movie, and she were an amazing pair.”
The British director remembered the pair as having “very different personalities”.
He said Trachtenberg was “kooky, fun, with an infectious laugh and her brilliant sad-funny comic timing”, while Panettiere was “plucky and determined and perfectionist, spending hours practicing her skating and utterly focused on getting every acting take spot-on and truthful. Which she did”.
The filmmaker added: “In what was often a tough and technically complicated shoot, and my first Hollywood movie, they were delightful to work with and great to have around. I remember them both with huge affection, how they were 20 odd years ago, at that relatively uncomplicated time of their lives, two shining talents, gone far too soon.”
Tributes from fellow child stars
Alexa PenaVega, who starred in the Spy Kids films, also paid tribute to Panettiere and Trachtenberg, as well as fellow child star Daveigh Chase, who died aged 35 in June.
Posting on Instagram, she wrote: “Hayden, Michelle, Daveigh… my heart is heavy today.
“These aren’t just names from my childhood. They’re girls I grew up alongside, sharing a world that was exciting and also incredibly hard.
“We were kids navigating something so big, and not everyone had the foundation or support they deserved. Today, I’m grieving and holding their families close in my prayers and thinking of everyone still fighting battles we cannot see. Hug your people close today.”
Blake Lively posted a tribute to Panettiere and Trachtenberg, sharing an Instagram Story with clips from the pair’s 2005 Disney movie.
“Be. Kind. You never know what others are going through,” she wrote.
She added: “Thank you to both these women for all the joy you brought so many.”
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy on Panettiere has been completed and “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death”.
A statement added: “The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies.”
Panettiere’s father Skip described her as “an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen”.
