Gayle King Reflects on Difficult Final Interview With Late Actress Hayden Panettiere

Gayle King has opened up about a difficult interview she had with actress Hayden Panettiere just months before the actress died at the age of 36.

During Monday’s episode of CBS Mornings, King reflected on Panettiere’s final appearance on the show, which took place in May as the actress promoted her memoir. King said she was “so, so sad” to learn of Panettiere’s death and described the news as “heartbreaking.”

King recalled speaking with Panettiere both on and off camera during the interview. According to King, Panettiere told her privately that she felt she was “in a good place,” but King said she believed the actress was “clearly still struggling.”

Panettiere had been open about her long battle with substance use and other personal challenges. One of the most painful decisions she had discussed publicly was giving full custody of her daughter, Kaya, to her former fiancé, boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

King described that decision as “one of the hardest things” Panettiere had ever done.

Panettiere’s death was announced Sunday, prompting an outpouring of tributes from friends, colleagues and fellow actors. King read tributes from Viola Davis, Bethany Joy Lenz and Selma Blair during the broadcast.

Lenz described herself as “crushed” by the news. King responded, “I think a lot of people felt that way, guys.”

Panettiere’s father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement shared with Entertainment Weekly.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” he said. “She was 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.”

He also asked for privacy for the family as they grieve.

According to PEOPLE, authorities in Greenville, North Carolina, responded after an acquaintance of Panettiere’s called police Sunday. Dispatch audio reviewed by the publication reportedly mentioned a possible overdose and cardiac arrest.

Police said the preliminary investigation had found no evidence of foul play or suspicious circumstances.

Panettiere, who would have turned 37 on Friday, was widely known for her roles in Heroes and Scream, as well as the television series Nashville. Her death has left fans and colleagues mourning an actress whose career began at a young age and whose personal struggles had become part of her public story.

King’s reflection offered a more personal look at Panettiere’s final months, highlighting the difficulties the actress continued to face even as she tried to rebuild her life.