Leave it to Hollywood’s Ryan Reynolds to deliver a lecture on the &#8220;trauma&#8221; of the 1980s.
Promoting his new Apple TV movie &#8220;Mayday,&#8221; in which he plays a Navy pilot befriending an &#8217;80s-obsessed ex-KGB agent, Reynolds decided to rain all over America’s favorite decade, calling it a “brutal, brutal time” and a “f*cking mess.”
According to Reynolds, everyone today just remembers the decade for “&#8217;Top Gun&#8217; and cocaine,” conveniently forgetting the “tremendous strife” and “socio-political tensions.” He even stumbled through some bizarre timeline logic, claiming the era was “pretty fresh off like a Cuban missile crisis.” The Cuban Missile Crisis happened in 1962, well over two decades before Reynolds was busy not growing up in America.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Ryan Reynolds says ’80s nostalgia “paves over all the trauma” of the “tumultuous” decade:
“The 80s was a brutal, brutal time for people. It was a fucking mess and people forget that. It was a tremendous strife. Socio political tensions everywhere. We were still pretty fresh off… <a href="https://t.co/CvNE3KLfff">pic.twitter.com/CvNE3KLfff</a>
&mdash; Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://x.com/Variety/status/2095288158862844330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The &#8220;Free Guy&#8221; actor didn&#8217;t even live in the U.S. during the 1980s.
Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Reynolds didn&#8217;t immigrate to the States until the mid-1990s — after high school. But that didn&#8217;t stop him from dropping a master class in retconning American history.
Naturally, patriotic Americans who actually lived through the neon-drenched decade weren&#8217;t having any of Reynolds&#8217; Hollywood revisionism.
Conservative commentator Dan Bongino wasted no time tearing into the movie star&#8217;s hot take, firing back that Reynolds &#8220;doesn’t know jack sh*t about the 1980s in America.&#8221;
&#8220;I was a teenager when the ’80s ended, and it was an INCREDIBLE time to be alive,&#8221; Bongino declared, listing off iconic hallmarks of the era like President Reagan’s monster economic growth, the Miracle on Ice, pre-woke MTV, &#8220;Indiana Jones,&#8221; and the glorious fall of the Berlin Wall. &#8220;No social-media rage farming&#8230; Friends don’t let friends fall for Hollywood propaganda. God bless America — and God bless the ’80s!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This dude doesn’t know jack shit about the 1980s in America—and Jack left town.
I was a teenager when the ’80s ended, and it was an INCREDIBLE time to be alive.
No social-media rage farming. The Miracle on Ice kicked off the decade, and the Berlin Wall and communism came… <a href="https://t.co/H8tHRJ0Yi1">https://t.co/H8tHRJ0Yi1</a>
&mdash; Dan Bongino (@dbongino) <a href="https://x.com/dbongino/status/2095492422117507319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Former ESPN anchor Sage Steele echoed the sentiment, calling Reynolds&#8217; commentary &#8220;another swing and miss.&#8221; Steele pointed out that the 1980s were &#8220;special&#8221; and &#8220;innocent&#8221; compared to the modern madness kids are subjected to today.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
YESSS. It was special. And innocent … esp compared to today and what our children witness and are subjected to. Another swing and miss by Ryan Reynolds. <a href="https://t.co/GWQDGo1ZeK">https://t.co/GWQDGo1ZeK</a>
&mdash; Sage Steele (@sagesteele) <a href="https://x.com/sagesteele/status/2095503743202594976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Maybe Reynolds should stick to playing comic book antiheroes and pumping his gin brand instead of trying to play historian.

MixCollage-03-Sep-2026-12-52-PM-7546

Ryan Reynolds Has A Problem With Our ’80s Nostalgia

1980s nostalgia

dan bongino

entertainment

mayday

ryan reynolds

sage steele

Country music legend Dolly Parton was laid to rest on Friday in a private service attended by family and close friends, with her estate announcing Monday that plans are already underway for two major public celebrations of the larger-than-life star&#8217;s legacy.
Two events, both titled &#8220;DollyFest: The Celebration of a Lifetime,&#8221; will take place on successive weekends — one in Nashville and another in London, England — in 2027.
Parton&#8217;s estate <a href="https://www.dollyparton.com/news/dollyfest-the-celebration-of-a-lifetime-star-studded-two-day-festival-honoring-dolly-parton-to-take-place-in-2027">announced</a> that even before Parton&#8217;s death on Tuesday, her team had already been planning on hosting DollyFest in Nashville in 2027. Parton herself had planned to participate, but the estate confirmed on Monday that the event will carry on in her memory instead.
&#8220;What was originally planned as a multi-artist event for January 2026 in Nashville and intended to feature Parton as performer and host will now morph into a global double-day, double-weekend, double-continent party of a lifetime,&#8221; the estate said.
Danny Nozell, Parton&#8217;s longtime business partner and founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, said Parton did not want a public funeral and said that instead, DollyFest would allow her fans to celebrate her life: &#8220;As far as a traditional memorial goes, that is not something Dolly wanted.&#8221;
&#8220;What Dolly started, we will ensure is brought to life. Many people behind the scenes know that DOLLYFEST is a dream of Dolly’s that was intended to take place on her 80th birthday in Nashville,&#8221; Nozell added. &#8220;We had the venue booked and we had the announcement ready to go. And then, in August 2025, Dolly had to take a step back after her initial health challenges. A lot of people always say, WWDD (What Would Dolly Do?), and, well, at this moment, DOLLYFEST is WDWD (What Dolly Would Do!).&#8221;
&#8220;We are not discouraging people from celebrating Dolly in the ways they choose &#8230; it feels more appropriate for us to take a beat, let all the tributes that immediately make sense occur naturally, and then, see through this festival-style concept that was truly dreamed up by Dolly,&#8221; Nozell concluded. &#8220;This is something that is authentic to her, something that feels right to me, and something that artists and fans around the world can participate in, while also giving everyone time to grieve, and giving everyone time to plan.&#8221;
Parton passed away on Tuesday after a brief battle with an undisclosed cancer. She was 80.

Dollyverse Powered By Blockchain Creative Labs on Eluv.io Music Festival Showcase – 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals

Dolly Parton’s Estate Announces Two-Continent Celebration Of Her Life

Dolly Parton's Estate Announces Plan To Celebrate Her Legacy

dolly parton

london

music

nashville

Actress Anna Faris admitted this past week that she challenges her 14-year-old son, whom she shares with ex-husband Chris Pratt, on his pro-life and conservative beliefs.
Speaking to comedian Chelsea Handler on her &#8220;Dear Chelsea&#8221; podcast, Faris spoke lovingly of her son, Jack, but noted they have some differences when it comes to religion and politics. She told Handler that she challenges Jack&#8217;s beliefs, specifically bringing up his pro-life views.
“I try to challenge him. I’m like, ‘Do you think it’s a luxury that you get to be pro-life?’” Faris said. “He’s like, ‘Maybe.’”
“He is &#8230; religious,” the 49-year-old said, sounding hesitant. Faris said she did not grow up with religion herself, but that Jack has developed strong religious beliefs. When she challenges him on his faith, she said she brings up what she views as religious “hypocrisy.”
“I’ll say, ‘So, what do you think of this mega pastor that’s kind of a grifter?’” Faris said. “He’s like, ‘Oh, mega pastors are the worst.’ So it’s like, okay, he&#8217;s getting there.”
Faris also praised her son, saying she&#8217;s impressed by his responses and calling him as “solid as a tugboat, emotionally. &#8230; He just doesn’t get easily jarred — he handles situations really well.&#8221; She added that she was &#8220;appreciative that he’s examining religion the way he is, in terms of recognizing hypocrisy.”
The &#8220;House Bunny&#8221; actress also revealed that Jack has asked her to become a Christian and accept Jesus as her savior. Faris, who has said she did not grow up religious, indicated she isn&#8217;t currently a believer herself but suggested she&#8217;d consider becoming one for her son. “It’s gonna take a whole lot of long conversations,” Faris said she told Jack.
Faris was married to Pratt in 2009 and gave birth to Jack in 2012. Pratt has been very open about his Christian faith, including discussing how Jack’s premature birth strengthened his belief in God. The actor routinely supports our veterans and has been piled on by liberals online for apparently secretly holding conservative views, though Pratt has generally stayed out of politics.
After his split from Faris in 2017, Pratt married Katherine Schwarzenegger, daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, in 2019. The pair have three children together. Faris married cinematographer Michael Barrett in 2021.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-pratt-goes-viral-after-proving-gentlemen-do-still-exist-in-hollywood?author=Katie+Jerkovich&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Chris+Pratt+Goes+Viral+After+Proving+Gentlemen+Do+Still+Exist+In+Hollywood">Chris Pratt Goes Viral After Proving Gentlemen Do Still Exist In Hollywood</a>

Premiere Of Disney And Marvel’s “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2” – Arrivals

Chris Pratt’s Ex Admits She Grills 14-Year-Old Son Over His Pro-Life, Conservative Views

abortion

anna faris

chris pratt

christianity

The mother of the late actress Hayden Panettiere issued public statements on Tuesday that pin blame on her daughter&#8217;s boyfriend for &#8220;enabling&#8221; Panettiere. The 36-year-old actress was found unresponsive in her residence on Sunday and declared dead shortly after.
“I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments, and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry — it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry, and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path,&#8221; Lesley Vogel said in a statement to NBC News.
“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson,&#8221; the mother continued, referring to Panettiere&#8217;s on-again-off-again boyfriend. &#8220;There is a lot of history in the past where Brian has enabled Hayden many times, and this is why her father and I had been concerned for a long time about him.”
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-detail-emerges-about-what-hayden-panettiere-was-taking-before-her-death?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=New+Detail+Emerges+About+What+Hayden+Panettiere+Was+Taking+Before+Her+Death">The Daily Wire</a> on Tuesday, Panettiere was reportedly discovered unresponsive in a chair by Zach Hickerson, Brian’s brother. Brian was said to be asleep in another room in an apartment that they’d rented through Airbnb. <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hayden-panettieres-ex-boyfriend-was-scene-died-police-report-says-rcna593125">Responding officer</a> Matthew Bryan said in his report that Zach was clearly distraught while first responders worked on Panettiere, but noted that Brian did not appear to be visibly upset until the actress was officially declared dead.
Notably, in Panettiere’s memoir, &#8220;This Is Me: A Reckoning,&#8221; Brian Hickerson is described as both physically and emotionally abusive to the actress.
&#8220;[No contact] was a choice I made for very specific reasons, and, ya know, certainly not for a lack of care, concern, or love,&#8221; she said. Panettiere has publicly spoken about having no relationship with her mother in recent years, saying that Vogel &#8220;slammed that door&#8221; in her face &#8220;pretty hard.&#8221;
“I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way, and I wish it were different,&#8221; Vogel continued. &#8220;I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”
Vogel added that she thought her daughter was now &#8220;at peace&#8221; with her brother Jansen, who died of aortic valve complications from an enlarged heart in 2023.
Some people online noted how Vogel only talked about Panettiere&#8217;s talent, as opposed to her personal qualities. Others also pointed out her comments about Panettiere being consumed by the industry, noting that the actress was just a baby when her mother started to take her on auditions.
&#8220;She talks as if Hayden got herself into the business on her own — she was 11 months old when her mom started having her audition for acting gigs!!! You are responsible!&#8221; commentator Yashar Ali <a href="https://x.com/yashar/status/2089885976969843109">said</a> of Vogel&#8217;s statement.
Just months ago, Panettiere shared on the podcast &#8220;On Purpose with Jay Shetty&#8221; that she attempted to cut her mom out of her business life so she could have her mother just be her mother. Instead, Panettiere claimed Vogel told her she &#8220;owed&#8221; her and was referring to money.
“When I was 19, I finally worked up the courage to split from her business-wise because I desperately wanted a relationship with her,&#8221; she told Shetty. &#8220;I just wanted her to be my mom.”
“She came into my trailer during lunch while we were filming &#8216;Heroes,&#8217; and I told her, ‘I don’t want us to work together anymore. I just want you to be my mom.’ I wasn’t expecting her response, ‘You owe me.’ That’s all she said before walking out.”
&#8220;It left this dark cloud over my head. What did she mean by ‘I owe her’?&#8221; Panettiere recalled thinking. &#8220;I was disappointed to find out she meant money.”
“She never pursued a real relationship with me as just a mother and daughter. Once the business aspect was gone, I hoped she would simply be my mom,&#8221; the actress added. &#8220;The fact that she didn’t seem to want a relationship with me was a tough pill to swallow.”
Panettiere was best known for her roles in “Nashville,” “Heroes,” and “Remember the Titans.”
The actress, who leaves behind one daughter, publicly discussed her battle with addiction in the years preceding her death. However, the cause of death remains unknown; an investigation is ongoing, and authorities say there are currently no signs of trauma.

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Presents An Evening with “Heroes” – VIP Reception

Hayden Panettiere’s Mother Reveals Who She Blames After Star’s Death

Hayden Panettiere’s Mother Raises Eyebrows With First Public Statement Following Daughter’s Death

addiction

brian hickerson

celebrity death

hayden panettiere

The late actress Hayden Panettiere was taking a &#8220;bag of medication&#8221; at the time of her sudden death on Sunday afternoon.
According to a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hayden-panettieres-ex-boyfriend-was-scene-died-police-report-says-rcna593125">report</a> from NBC News, Panettiere&#8217;s on-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson handed over a bag containing the medications she&#8217;d been taking in the days leading up to her death — and although the names of the medications were redacted, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/18/us-news/hayden-panettiere-was-on-bag-of-medication-at-time-of-death-as-cops-reveal-boyfriends-strange-reaction-to-her-overdose/">reported</a> that there were nine drugs listed in the Greenville City Police Department report.
Entertainment site TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/18/hayden-panettiere-found-while-boyfriend-slept/">reported</a> that Panettiere, who died just days before what would have been her 37th birthday, was discovered unresponsive in a chair by Zach Hickerson, Brian&#8217;s brother. Brian was reportedly asleep in another room of the Greenville, South Carolina, apartment they&#8217;d rented through Airbnb.
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hayden-panettieres-ex-boyfriend-was-scene-died-police-report-says-rcna593125">Responding officer</a> Matthew Bryan said in his report that he first spoke with Zach — who was clearly distraught while first responders worked on Panettiere — but that Brian did not appear to be visibly upset until the actress was officially declared dead.
Additional reporting said Brian and the &#8220;Nashville&#8221; actress had been more on-again than off-again of late, but kept their <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/17/hayden-panettiere-brian-hickerson-forced-to-keep-relationship-private/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">relationship</a> quiet because her publicity team felt his presence would likely hurt her book sales.
Panettiere&#8217;s estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, also voiced concern about Hickerson in her first public comments following her daughter&#8217;s death: &#8220;This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson.&#8221;
Hickerson has not been accused by authorities of involvement in Panettiere&#8217;s death.
&#8220;I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry,&#8221; Vogel added. &#8220;It is a struggle and it&#8217;s a very challenging industry and it&#8217;s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.&#8221;
Hickerson and Panettiere had both expressed anger toward Vogel in the past.
&#8220;Hayden&#8217;s mother is by far one of the worst people I&#8217;ve ever met in my life,&#8221; Hickerson told TMZ in May — and Panettiere said on a recent podcast that she&#8217;d been broken by her mother&#8217;s response when she asked if they could just be mother and daughter instead of manager and actress.
&#8220;You owe me,&#8221; Vogel reportedly said at the time, and <a href="https://people.com/hayden-panettiere-estranged-mom-speaks-out-after-death-12061596">Panettiere</a> told podcast host Jay Shetty that she&#8217;d been heartbroken to realize that she&#8217;d meant &#8220;money.&#8221;
The police report indicated that the responding officer was wearing a body cam at the scene, but that footage has not been released.
An autopsy was performed on Monday, and the coroner&#8217;s office released a statement saying that &#8220;no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death&#8221; — but the investigation is still ongoing. Toxicology reports could take weeks to compile.
&nbsp;

An Alternative View Of The 21st Annual Critics’ Choice Awards

New Detail Emerges About What Hayden Panettiere Was Taking Before Her Death

Hayden Panettiere Was Taking 'Bag Of Medication' When She Died 

lesley vogel

People close to Hayden Panettiere told Page Six that the actress was suffering with severe back problems and anxiety in the months leading up to her untimely death at age 36.
Panettiere, known best for her roles in &#8220;Nashville,&#8221; &#8220;Heroes,&#8221; and &#8220;Remember the Titans,&#8221; was found unresponsive Sunday afternoon at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, where she had been temporarily staying. An investigation into the death is ongoing, but authorities say there are currently no signs of trauma.
Erick Orellana, Panettiere&#8217;s close friend and hairdresser, told Page Six that the actress was dealing with severe back problems earlier this year, which left her using crutches.
“I know she suffered earlier this year with her back,” Orellana said, describing the pain as “really severe.”
“At one point, it was even hard for her to move her legs,” the hairdresser added.
Back in March, Panettiere was photographed using crutches while traveling through the LAX airport with her boyfriend Brian Hickerson.
Orellana said she thought Panettiere appeared to be &#8220;on the mend&#8221; from the back issues before she died.
Another source said Panettiere, who was a &#8220;night owl,&#8221; seemed extremely tired at times and suffered from anxiety. The 36-year-old would take medicine for her anxiety that could “every so often&#8221; impact her speech, the source added.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy was completed and found no signs of trauma that would have contributed to her death.
“The decedent has been identified as Hayden [Lesley] Panettiere, 36, of California. Panettiere was found unresponsive inside the residence, where she had been temporarily staying. An autopsy was completed today,&#8221; the office said in a statement. &#8220;At autopsy, no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death. This investigation remains active and ongoing.&#8221;
First responders were dispatched to the apartment where Panettiere had been staying with Hickerson on Sunday afternoon. A 911 call indicated that there was an unresponsive woman who may have suffered cardiac arrest. Hickerson was reportedly at the apartment at the time.
TMZ has reported that Narcan, a medication commonly used to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose, was found at the scene.
On Tuesday, former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, who was in a relationship with Panettiere for nine years, shared an emotional statement following her death. The former couple have one child together, an 11-year-old daughter named Kaya.
<div id="attachment_1159821" style="width: 777px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1159821" class="wp-image-1159821 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-168286242-767x576.jpg" alt="" width="767" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-168286242-767x576.jpg 767w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-168286242-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-168286242-768x577.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-168286242.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 767px" />Jemal Countess/Getty Images</div>
“Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief,” Klitschko posted to social media. “The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.”
&#8220;She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives,&#8221; Klitschko wrote. &#8220;To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.&#8221;
&#8220;I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden’s parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon. I ask everyone to please respect our family’s feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time. For now, this is all I wish to say.&#8221;
&#8220;Thank you to everyone who is supporting my family and expressing their sincere condolences,&#8221; Klitschko added. &#8220;Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace.&#8221; 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief.
The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.
She built… <a href="https://t.co/etL169NOmB">pic.twitter.com/etL169NOmB</a>
— Klitschko (@Klitschko) <a href="https://x.com/Klitschko/status/2089609887076503934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/actress-hayden-panetierre-dead-at-36">Actress Hayden Panettiere Dead At 36</a>

Hayden Panettiere Portrait Session

Troubling Details Emerge About Hayden Panettiere’s Life Before Her Death

Revealed: Hayden Penettiere’s Mounting Health Problems Before Her Death 

wladimir klitschko

The autopsy for actress Hayden Panettiere has revealed more information about her shocking death at the age of 36.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office delivered an initial statement on the &#8220;Nashville&#8221; actress&#8217;s post-mortem, saying that her body had not shown visible &#8220;signs of trauma&#8221; at the time of her death.
&#8220;The decedent has been identified as Hayden [Lesley] Panettiere, 36, of California. Panettiere was found unresponsive inside the residence, where she had been temporarily staying. An autopsy was completed today. At autopsy, no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,&#8221; the statement read.
&#8220;This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time,&#8221; the coroner&#8217;s statement concluded, but the office stipulated that additional testing was ongoing and that additional information would be released as it was made available.
First responders were dispatched to an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, where Panettierre was reportedly staying with on-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson, on Sunday. Their arrival came following a 911 call indicating that there was an unresponsive woman who may have suffered a cardiac arrest. Two ambulances arrived on the scene, according to entertainment site TMZ, and both unloaded stretchers, but it is unclear why they thought a second stretcher might be needed. Hickerson was reportedly at the apartment at the time, but both ambulances ultimately left the scene without patients onboard.
Additional reports from TMZ suggested that first responders used both Narcan and epinephrine — used to treat opioid overdoses and cardiac arrest, respectively — but did not confirm whether they were used exclusively to treat Panettierre or someone else who may have been in the apartment.
Earlier reports included information from the 911 call from the apartment, and indicated that Panettierre was being treated for a suspected overdose.
The &#8220;Heroes&#8221; actress has had a long and well-documented history of struggling with addiction, dating back to her teenage years when she said adults had offered her &#8220;happy pills&#8221; ahead of red carpet appearances: &#8220;They were to make me peppy during interviews.&#8221;
As her battle escalated, she eventually compromised her liver function to the point that she developed jaundice.
&#8220;I was being told how to be and how to live by so many people in my life. I wanted certain decisions to be my own, and nobody could stop me. What I put in my body was like an act of defiance,&#8221; she said — and she added that her addiction had gotten much worse while she battled postpartum depression following the birth of the daughter she shares with ex Wladimir Klitschko.
&#8220;I never heard any stories about it at all,&#8221; she said of <a href="https://people.com/parents/hayden-panettiere-wishes-someone-told-me-its-ok-postpartum-depression/">postpartum depression</a> in 2023. “I just thought there was something seriously wrong with me, so I thought, ‘[Alcohol] will fix this. Duh!’ And it didn’t. It does for a moment, but then it made everything worse.&#8221;
By the time she sought treatment, her eyes were yellow from the jaundice and her hair had thinned and begun to fall out.
&#8220;Doctors told me my liver was going to give out,&#8221; Panettierre admitted during a 2022 interview — and in her recently released memoir, she added, &#8220;A doctor told me that if I didn’t stop drinking, I’d be dead within five years.&#8221;
Panettierre spent months in rehab, and went into great detail in her memoir describing her experiences going through withdrawal: &#8220;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.&#8221;
Panettierre was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. on Sunday, just five days before what would have been her 37th birthday.

Build Presents Charles Esten & Hayden Panettiere Discussing “Nashville”

Hayden Panettiere Autopsy Reveals New Details About Her Death

celebrity news

death investigation

Audio from the 911 call related to the death of “Nashville” actress Hayden Panettiere, 36, shows that she was discovered unresponsive from an apparent cardiac arrest.
According to a report from entertainment site <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/17/hayden-panettiere-found-dead-by-a-friend-inside-greenville-home/">TMZ</a>, law enforcement received a call about an “unresponsive female” at 1:51 p.m. Sunday and were dispatched to a Greenville, South Carolina apartment. Responding paramedics administered “advanced cardiac life support” but were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempts to revive her.
Law enforcement officials stated that there was “no sign of foul play,” but said that an autopsy would be conducted on Monday to determine cause and manner of death.
Fans are still reeling from the unexpected death of the 36-year-old actress, which was announced late Sunday night. Panettiere had just released her tell-all memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” earlier this year. Her death occurred 5 days before her 37th birthday.
The former child star began acting in commercials when she was just 11 months old and later transitioned to films and television shows. Panettiere was best known for her breakout role as Claire Bennet, a high school cheerleader with healing powers, on the NBC superhero series “Heroes.”
She later earned two Golden Globe nominations for her co-starring role in the drama series “Nashville.” The Hollywood star also landed major roles in other movies such as &#8220;Remember the Titans,&#8221; &#8220;Raising Helen,&#8221; &#8220;Ice Princess,&#8221; and &#8220;Scream 4.&#8221;
Panettiere had a younger brother, Jansen, who died suddenly in February 2023 at the age of 28 from cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) coupled with aortic valve complications.
In 2014, the “Heroes” star gave birth to a daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere detailed having severe postpartum depression and addiction following the baby’s birth and ultimately signed over full custody to Klitschko so that she could seek treatment.
The actress said that at the time, she was not capable of caring for her child — and said that because Kaya already had an established life in Klitschko’s native Ukraine, the move was in her best interest.
More recently, Panettiere was involved in an on-and-off relationship with Brian Hickerson, a real estate agent and aspiring actor, from around 2018 until 2022. During that time, he was arrested multiple times for domestic violence against her, first in 2019 and again in February 2020 in Wyoming, where he reportedly punched her in the face. The first charges were later dropped.
In July 2020, he was arrested in Los Angeles, where Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend and was sentenced in 2021 to jail time, four years of probation, domestic violence classes, fines, and a multi-year protective order.
In her memoir, Panettiere described the relationship as traumatic, detailing how verbal arguments escalated into physical abuse. She said she found it “<a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/hayden-panettiere-calls-brian-hickerson-incident-embarrassing/">very embarrassing</a>” as someone who saw herself as a strong and resilient woman.
Panettiere also recently revealed several incidents during her career involving unwanted sexual advances from major Hollywood directors and actors when she was in her late teens. She said a trusted friend led her into what felt like a trap involving a “very famous” naked man while she was out on a boat.
“The fact that I was 18, even though I’d lived such a huge life and I thought I was oh so mature at 18 … scientifically, our frontal lobes don’t develop until we’re what, 25, 26?” Panettiere told podcast host Jay Shetty of the incident during a May interview, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-star-says-she-was-lured-into-dangerous-situation-with-very-famous-naked-man">reported</a>. “So even though I felt like I could make healthy decisions, safe decisions, I wasn’t capable of being fully aware of what was going on around me.”
“It wasn’t until I found myself in predicaments that I realized — my perspective completely shifted, and I realized that I was in danger,” she went on. “But by the time I’d realized I was in danger, I was quite literally out to sea.”
“It took me by surprise,” Panettiere added. “It was somebody led by somebody that I had grown to trust and see as a protector and somebody who had my back.”
The actress detailed her addiction struggles in her memoir, noting how doctors told her she would be dead in five years if she didn’t stop drinking. Panettiere most recently spent eight months in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction in 2020.

Hayden Panettiere

911 Call Reveals New Clue In Hayden Panettiere’s Shocking Death At 36

heroes

Many people are wondering why so many famous movie actors are having transgender children to go with their fifteen-hundred-dollar Origami Cubic Pumps, and the sensuous new Liquid Under Shorts, which are perfect for those daring evenings when you pick up a smoking hot stranger in a Port-o-San at a West Hollywood construction site and then spend the next two weeks wondering why it burns when you urinate.
Now some experts feel the mathematically miraculous number of transgender kids parented by movie stars is due to the fact that each of these amazingly popular celebrities possesses a powerful charisma that masks a case of narcissistic personality disorder so extreme it would qualify as a psychotic condition of the type usually found in ax murderers, mass shooters and opinion columnists at The New York Times, and that an actor’s skill in slipping almost seamlessly into movie characters as diverse as Spiderman and Spiderman 2 is less a talent than a symptom of a mental illness in which the desperate loneliness of emotional emptiness is alleviated by the self-medication of performative delusions similar to those witnessed in psychiatric hospitals where inmates wander around believing they’re someone like Napoleon Bonaparte or Jesus Christ or Spiderman 2 instead of the addled, self-destructive, sexually ambiguous theater kids they in fact are, and that this combination of virulent narcissism and self-comforting delusion combine to render most movie actors as incapable of loving their own children as they are of truly loving themselves, so that the children of these famous thespians also never develop fully functional personalities and, in a tragic imitation of their seemingly successful parents, they become convinced they can find some comfort in a make-believe world where they are the opposite gender to the one God made them, and so they begin mutilating those portions of their bodies in which the urgent desire for the love and connection missing from their dysfunctional upbringing are most blatantly expressed, after which, as soon as they grow up, they plan to travel to Canada to take advantage of their program of medically assisted suicide.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/andrew-klavan-show-ep-1291"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-974735 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now.jpg" alt="" width="1800" height="300" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-300x50.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-768x128.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1536x256.jpg 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" /></a>
Anyway, that’s how some experts explain the phenomenon. Other experts believe it’s the result of a bite by a radioactive spider.
To find out more, The Daily Wire sent our crack reporter Jimmy Crack to the West Coast to interview some of the silver screen’s most in-demand mentally ill people. In an article phoned in from Hollywood’s famous Michael Jackson Memorial Bathhouse and Daycare Center, Crack reported his findings shortly before he disappeared without a trace.
In Crack’s exclusive interview with Lola Vavoom, the ravishing female lead of the new hit Spiderman 2B, the actress explained why, of the seven children birthed for her by her faithful surrogate Lulubelle Squeeze, five have decided to change their sex from the one they are to the one they can never actually be.
Ms. Vavoom said, “I think it might have started when I was getting into character for the remake of Monster, the film for which my idol, Charlize Theron, won an Oscar playing serial killer Aileen Wuornos before Theron had her transgender child. Using the method acting techniques I acquired at the Scientology Self-Transformation and Daycare Center, I got into character by chasing my sons around the room with a butcher knife, screaming, ‘Here comes mommy to cut off your wiener, and I’d like to thank the Academy very much for this great honor.’ It was soon after that that all my sons came to me and said, ‘Mommy, I think we’re little girls, so will you please unlock the closet door now and let us out.’ I was so moved, I immediately scheduled their surgeries and rented a gown for awards night.”
Unfortunately, it turned out Ms. Vavoom was not eligible for the Oscar because the remake of Monster went straight to streaming on the Disney Channel, but there are rumors it will soon be made into a ride at Disney World’s new Gender Fantasyland and Daycare Center.
We hope Crack’s crack reporting has illuminated the issue of child transgenderism in Hollywood, and will help to inspire reasonable methods of addressing the phenomenon, like the forced sterilization of everyone in show business.

Hollywood

Hollywood Blames Trans Epidemic On Radioactive Spiders To Hide Severe Narcissism

celebrity

hollywood

narcissism

satire

transgender

Pack your bags and hide the daytime Emmys: Rosie O’Donnell has officially announced her plan to torment daytime television once again with an upcoming appearance on Season 30 of &#8220;The View.&#8221;
Apparently, <a href="https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/rosie-odonnell-reveals-moved-us/story?id=119707526">moving across the Atlantic</a> wasn&#8217;t enough to keep the 64-year-old off our screens. Speaking on Monday’s &#8220;The Tangle With Kyle Ridley&#8221; podcast, the professional grumper <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/08/03/entertainment/rosie-odonnell-confirms-season-30-return-to-the-view/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=nypost">confirmed</a> she’ll be dropping in for the show&#8217;s milestone anniversary bash. But don&#8217;t panic just yet; she claims she’ll strictly be showing up &#8220;just as a guest&#8221; to take part &#8220;in whatever way they want.&#8221;
&#8220;They’re bringing back all the hosts, I think,&#8221; O’Donnell declared, puffing her chest out over a show she routinely trashes every chance she gets.
Naturally, Rosie couldn&#8217;t resist doing what she does best: airing dirty laundry and blaming everyone else for her own past televised meltdowns. Reflecting on her chaotic stints during Seasons 10 and 18, she took a swing at Whoopi Goldberg, lamenting that they weren&#8217;t the &#8220;Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen&#8221; dream team she expected. Instead, Rosie speculated that the 70-year-old Goldberg must have felt &#8220;encroached upon&#8221; by her presence.
She also dragged the show’s backstage atmosphere, calling it a talent-churning &#8220;factory&#8221; run by men. This came despite <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/not-something-id-ever-do-again-rosie-odonnell-doesnt-talk-fondly-of-her-time-on-the-view">previously swearing</a> on Brooke Shields’ podcast in 2023 that she would never step foot near the show again because defending &#8220;basic principles of humanity&#8221; was just too much work for her superior talents.
The big TV comeback announcement comes right on the heels of Rosie dramatically fleeing the United States altogether. Throwing the ultimate celebrity temper tantrum over Donald Trump&#8217;s presidential victory, the former talk show host packed her bags, grabbed her &#8220;non-binary&#8221; child Clay, and defected to Europe to chase down an Irish citizenship.
Rosie bragged on TikTok about sleeping so much better in her self-imposed exile, away from the &#8220;terrifying&#8221; politics of America. It&#8217;s just the latest chapter in her epic, two-decade-long obsession with Trump, which started way back in 2006 when she trashed him on live TV and he famously labeled her a &#8220;real loser.&#8221;
So while Ireland is stuck dealing with O&#8217;Donnell&#8217;s political doom-scrolling, American audiences will have to brace themselves when the ultimate daytime diva flies back to reclaim her moment in the spotlight.
Get the mute button ready.

“Common Knowledge” Opening Night

Run For The Hills: Rosie O’Donnell Threatens Return To ‘The View’

donald trump

rosie odonnell

the view

whoopi goldberg

Despite all the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ed-harris-said-he-almost-quit-dutton-ranch-get-me-the-f-out-of-here">complaining</a> he did about the significance of his role on “Dutton Ranch,” actor Ed Harris will reportedly be returning for season two.
Per sources who spoke with <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/07/ed-harris-returning-dutton-ranch-season-2-showrunner-change-1236999568/">Deadline</a>, the second season of the popular “Yellowstone” spinoff has already been picked up by the network, and Harris’s character will be part of the story to some degree.
Harris, 75, made headlines earlier this week after going on a rant about how small his role was in the show. He did eventually admit that he thought the series was “pretty good” overall.
“Midway through the first season, I was ready to say, ‘get me the f*ck out of here,’ to tell you the truth,” Harris said on the red carpet for Apple TV’s “The Dink.” “I didn’t feel I was being used. I felt very misled. Prior to signing on for it, I was talked to quite a bit about what the season was, and what my character was going to do, and that I was one of the four main characters. And that wasn’t really the case.”
He brought up how one scene of him singing in a bar got cut from the finished product. “They said it was too ‘up’ for the dark ending of the episode … I’m like, ‘F*ck you people!’ That, to me, is reason enough to say, ‘I’m voiding my contract,’” Harris said.
“Dutton Ranch” showrunner Chad Feehan left the series ahead of the premiere due to behind-the-scenes friction. The Deadline sources claimed that this was potentially due to how Harris’s character arc was handled, and said the actor was involved in choosing Feehan’s replacement. Paramount+ has not issued any public statements on these claims.
“Yellowstone” creator and “Dutton Ranch” executive producer Taylor Sheridan has made it a habit to underutilize big stars. He’s addressed this in the past, saying he’s well aware it can cause controversy. He did the same with Demi Moore on “Landman.”
“The critics are going to come after me. I’m underutilizing [Moore], can’t write for women, all this nonsense. Then I’m going to kill your husband and you’re going to have to run the oil company. The critics and me … I don’t care what they think, and it annoys the sh*t out of them that I don’t care. I’ll be the first to tell you that there are things that I do that rage-bait them a bit, and this is one of them. F*ck ’em, honestly,” Sheridan said last month, as The Daily Wire previously reported.

Ed Harris

Ed Harris’ Future On ‘Dutton Ranch’ Revealed After He Complained About Role In First Season

Celebrities

paramount

taylor sheridan

television

It’s no secret that conservatives are the David to Hollywood’s Goliath on the pop culture front.
Much of that isn’t their fault. The Heartland is mostly shut out of Hollywood, Inc. Conservative stories rarely get a close-up on screens of any size. The list of openly conservative stars remains microscopically small.
Yet conservatives may have hurt their own cause by going to war with “The Odyssey,” mostly sight unseen.
Director Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s epic poem drew endless online attacks from both Right-leaning YouTube creators and conservatives. It’s woke! It’s D.E.I. gone wild! The source material’s translator is a <a href="https://www.slashfilm.com/2219268/how-emily-wilson-feels-christopher-nolan-the-odyssey-adaptation/">woke feminist</a>!
A woke feminist, for what it’s worth, who had some unkind things to say about Nolan’s finished product.
Now, with the film generating rapturous responses from <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_odyssey_2026">film critics</a> and <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/odyssey-audience-cinemascore-even-beyond-031733557.html">audiences alike</a>, that knee-jerk response is looking worse. The film earned a whopping <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/the-odyssey-box-office-christopher-nolan-opening-weekend-shatters-expectations-1236815861/">$264 million globally</a> in its opening weekend, and the subsequent numbers show little sign that it’s a one-weekend wonder.
Nolan isn’t your average Hollywood storyteller. He never weighs in on politics directly, lets his art speak for him, and once made a blockbuster that side-eyed the Occupy Wall Street movement – “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012).
He spent an entire Oscar campaign for 2023’s “Oppenheimer” without shouting “Free Palestine” or attacking a certain U.S. president. He’s also not a social media diva. He reportedly doesn’t own a smartphone and has his assistants <a href="https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/jaelaniturnerwilliams/christopher-nolan-no-smartphone-email">print out emails for him</a>. (Maybe we can all agreed that’s a bit much.)
That should have earned him some respect on the Right, the sense that this wasn’t your average Hollywood progressive weaponizing a classic against Red State USA.
No.
Social media allowed some Right-leaning souls to predict the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldGE53GwLlc">film’s financial doom</a> and slam the film sight unseen. Even Elon Musk entered the chat, pummeling the film for weeks prior to its release.
On one key front, the Right had a point.
Nolan cast trans actor Elliot Page in “The Odyssey,” but he and his team refused to explain what role Page played. That sparked rumors that the part was Achilles, known to all as a fearsome warrior.
Page is five-foot-one and slender.
No matter. That Fake News story ricocheted around the web, desperate for a fact check that took too long to arrive. It’s notable that Nolan didn’t immediately debunk the misinformation, nor did his marketing team.
The latter likely possess smartphones.
Casting Page deserved some raised eyebrows. The actor is intensely political, before and after the transition. Page’s on-screen appearance is a distraction, no matter where you stand on so-called “representation” and trans rights. Period. Good filmmakers should understand that, but like even the very best storytellers in Hollywood, Nolan isn’t perfect.
Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o co-stars as Helen of Troy, a character described as fair-skinned in the text and played by white actors in previous takes on the source material. It’s a race swap! Yes, yes, it is, but it’s a very minor point in a much larger story.
Some savaged the star for not being beautiful enough for the role, a characterization that is both subjective and silly. Plus, Nyong’o has little screen time.
Nolan spoke repeatedly of his attempt to “modernize” the epic tale for modern audiences. Nyong’o’s casting may have been part of that effort. Some other minor “Greek” roles also clashed with the time period. Was Nolan pulling a minor “Hamilton” move, where casting choices took a creative turn to say something about the culture at large?
Right-leaning podcaster Bridget Phetasy leveled the cruelest dig at the film’s conservative critics. She called their <a href="https://www.phetasy.com/p/walk-ins-welcome-400?utm_source=podcast-email&amp;publication_id=348276&amp;post_id=208139218&amp;utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&amp;utm_content=watch_now_gif&amp;r=2rv17&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email">attacks “liberal” in nature</a>:
<blockquote>
You had a criticism of making everything political for a decade, and now you haven’t seen the movie and you’re making it political and telling people not to go enjoy a good movie.
</blockquote>
That’s not to say some conservative arguments weren’t solid or leaned on little more than tired talking points to fit their agenda. The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh skewered “The Odyssey” while bringing up salient arguments about the casting, the impact of Page’s character and more.
He actually saw the film and gave his two cents thereafter. Agree? Disagree? He stated his case well.
Andrew Klavan mostly praised the film but found the screenplay wanting, to put it mildly.
The Critical Drinker, who isn’t overtly conservative but leans to the cultural Right, served up a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_W0z6hZlrI">nuanced take</a> that mixed criticism with praise.
Conservatives should take great care in “jumping the gun” on pop culture matters. In a way, that’s what the Left often does. Consider the L.A. Times’ <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/la-times-daily-wire-run-hide-fight-racist/">recent assault on “Run Hide Fight: Infidels,”</a> a movie that doesn’t hit Daily Wire+ until the Fall.
The newspaper read a generic synopsis of the film, set on a college campus where Islamic radicals take charge, and declared the film deeply problematic. The film could inspire violence, the paper argued, while implying it should be censored.
The worst part of this ugly culture war battle? The anger and absolutism behind the critiques. “The Odyssey” is just a movie, albeit a massive one with cultural heft. We can love or loathe it, find it inspiring or wanting.
Walsh is right, to a degree. So is The Critical Drinker and the Left-leaning mainstream critics who adored “The Odyssey.”
Conservatives should still engage in the culture wars, create art on their own terms (when feasible) and not cede Hollywood to the modern Left. The latter would be disastrous.
They also should hold their fire until they see the art in question and bring vital context to their culture war crusades. The Right is working at a distinct disadvantage here. They shouldn’t make matters worse.
***
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. He&#8217;s also the host of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hollywood-in-toto-podcast-w-christian-toto/id1186449155">The Hollywood in Toto Podcast</a>. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>.

Menu