Hayden Panettiere Director Says Brian Hickerson Brought ‘Dark Energy’ On-Set

LOS ANGELES, CA. (THECOUNT) — Hayden Panettiere was reportedly struggling to maintain her sobriety while filming one of her final movies, and director Griff Furst says members of her team considered staging an intervention during production. Furst said he agreed to take part if the intervention moved forward, but he was not aware of it ultimately happening.

Furst, who directed Panettiere in the 2025 film A Breed Apart, said the actress was “fighting to stay sober” while working on the movie and that members of her team contacted him about potentially participating in an intervention.

The director also recalled Panettiere bringing her boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, to the movie set and said he was concerned about the company she was keeping at the time.

Furst described a “dark energy” surrounding Hickerson’s presence and said Panettiere “deserved better company,” while emphasizing that he had great affection for the actress and considered her an exceptional talent.

Furst’s comments offer a new account of Panettiere’s struggles during a period when people around the actress were reportedly concerned about her sobriety.

Panettiere had previously spoken publicly about her struggles with alcohol and addiction, including her efforts to seek treatment and maintain her recovery.

The director’s recollections come days after Panettiere was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, where emergency responders attempted to revive her.

Panettiere’s death remains under investigation. Her official cause and manner of death have not been determined, and authorities have not announced that Hickerson or anyone else has been accused of causing her death.

According to a police report previously cited by NBC News, Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were at the residence when Panettiere went into cardiac arrest. Zach reportedly found the actress, while Brian was asleep in another room.

Emergency personnel performed life-saving measures, but Panettiere could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities have completed an autopsy, but toxicology results remain pending. Greenville police are conducting a death investigation alongside the coroner’s examination into the circumstances surrounding the unexpected death.

Panettiere became a television star as a teenager and went on to gain widespread recognition for her roles as Claire Bennet on Heroes and Juliette Barnes on Nashville. Her film credits included Remember the Titans, Raising Helen, Ice Princess and Scream 4.

Her professional career continued through her personal struggles, including her battle with substance abuse and efforts to maintain sobriety. Furst’s account indicates that concerns about her well-being were present even while she was working.

The director said he remained supportive of Panettiere despite his concerns about her circumstances, describing her as an incredible talent and making clear that his comments came from a place of concern for the actress.

Whether the intervention discussed by Panettiere’s team was ever formally organized remains unclear. Furst said that, to his knowledge, it never ultimately took place.

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