Hayden Panettiere’s ‘Shrooms’ Confession Resurfaces After Reported ‘Overdose’

Hayden Panettiere revealed that she tried psychedelic mushrooms for the first time during an unforgettable glamping trip with her “Scream 4” castmates. The actress shared the candid story in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” describing the getaway as a rare moment when she felt safe, carefree, and surrounded by people she trusted.

Panettiere’s recollection has resurfaced following her sudden death at 36. However, the experience occurred while filming the 2011 slasher movie and has not been connected to her death or the more serious alcohol and opioid dependency she later discussed.

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Panettiere said the getaway was hosted by “Scream” franchise star Neve Campbell while the cast was working on the fourth installment. The group reportedly escaped the demands of production for a glamping experience, giving Panettiere an opportunity to spend time with her co-stars away from the set.

During the trip, the actress decided to try mushrooms for the first time. “I’d never tried ‘shrooms before and didn’t know what to expect, but I felt so comfortable with my friends that I wasn’t worried,” she wrote. “They would take care of me and ensure I had a stress-free trip.”

The Actress Remembered ‘Scream 4’ As A Joyful Experience

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Panettiere played fan-favorite character Kirby Reed in “Scream 4,” which was released in 2011. Her glamping confession was part of a larger reflection about the friendships she formed while making the movie.

Rather than describing the production as tense or isolating, Panettiere remembered it as one of the most entertaining experiences of her career. “I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much or so hard as I did in those few months,” she wrote.

Panettiere said she “quickly bonded with most of the young people on set,” creating the sense of trust that ultimately made her feel comfortable experimenting with mushrooms during the trip.

The actress starred alongside Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts, Rory Culkin, and several other performers in the fourth film. Panettiere later returned to the franchise as Kirby in 2023’s “Scream VI,” more than a decade after her character survived the events of “Scream 4.”

Her Recreational Story Was Separate From Her Addiction Battle

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Although Panettiere discussed trying mushrooms in the same memoir that explored her history with addiction, she did not present the glamping experience as the beginning of her dependency. Her account of the trip was lighter in tone and centered on friendship, trust, and the fun she remembered having with her castmates.

Elsewhere, Panettiere described a far more serious battle involving alcohol and prescription opioids. The actress previously said her exposure to substances began when she was 15 and was offered “happy pills.” As she grew older, her alcohol and opioid use reportedly became increasingly difficult to control. “I was on top of the world, and I ruined it. I’d think I hit rock bottom, but then there’s that trap door that opens,” she told PEOPLE.

Panettiere explained that work initially helped prevent her struggles from affecting her behavior on set. “My saving grace is that I couldn’t be messy while on set and working. But things kept getting out of control [off set]. And as I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn’t live without.”

Hayden Panettiere Developed A Dependency On Opioids

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Panettiere said her opioid dependency began after she was prescribed medication for an “old neck injury” that had flared up. Although she did not identify the specific drug, the actress said her body rapidly became accustomed to the medication. Her “tolerance got so high, so fast, that it became a problem,” Panettiere explained during a 2023 interview with E! News’ “The Rundown.”

Her struggles with alcohol also intensified after she experienced postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in December 2014. Panettiere said she used alcohol and opioids in an attempt to briefly escape what she was feeling, but the relief never lasted.

“He didn’t want to be around me. I didn’t want to be around myself. But with the opiates and alcohol, I was doing anything to make me feel happy for a moment. Then I’d feel worse than I did before. I was in a cycle of self-destruction,” she said of her former partner, Wladimir Klitschko.

The ‘Heroes’ Star Described Terrifying Withdrawal Symptoms

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At the height of her dependency, Panettiere said she struggled to function without alcohol. “I would have the shakes when I woke up and could only function by sipping alcohol,” she shared.

The actress provided an even more graphic description of withdrawal in her memoir. “As my nervous system tried to regulate itself without the depressant effects of alcohol, it went into overdrive, and my whole body shook,” she wrote.

Panettiere also recalled experiencing frightening auditory hallucinations. “Once during withdrawal, I heard voices that were so terrifying I got on all fours and crawled to my bathroom, where I lay on the cool, clean tiles and waited for the panic to pass. I couldn’t sleep, and my head pounded like it was pressing against my skull.”

She eventually entered inpatient treatment and publicly discussed her efforts to recover.

Hayden Panettiere’s Cause Of Death Has Not Been Determined

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Panettiere was found unresponsive at Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16. Greenville police said officers and emergency medical personnel responded at approximately 1:51 p.m. Although 911 dispatch audio reportedly contained a reference to an overdose, the Greenville County Coroner has not released an official cause or manner of death.

The dispatch language is preliminary and does not confirm what caused Panettiere’s death.