Inside Hayden Panettiere's brother Jansen's tumultuous life: Anxiety, drug addiction and shaky career

Jansen Rane Panettiere starred in several movies, such as 'The Last Day of Summer' and 'The Perfect Game' before his untimely death at 28
UPDATED FEB 21, 2023
Hayden Panettiere's brother Jansen has died at the age of 28 (Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
Hayden Panettiere's brother Jansen has died at the age of 28 (Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Jansen Rane Panettiere, 28, brother of Hayden Panettiere, died in New York on Sunday, February 19, at his residence around 5.30 pm. Though the cause of death is not yet revealed, his life has gone through various struggles and ups and downs recently.

He has been famous as a graffiti artist and an actor who portrayed significant characters in movies including ‘The Perfect Game’, ‘The Last Day of Summer’, and ‘The Walking Dead'. Meanwhile, The 'Nashville' star has not yet addressed the death of his only sibling. 

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Jansen Panettiere's struggle with drug addiction

The actor who has portrayed important roles in 'Major Crimes,' Shia LaBeouf's TV show 'Even Stevens,' Blue's Clues, 'Ice Age: The Meltdown,' and 'Robots' has never acknowledged that he was addicted to drugs. However, he had once claimed, " I AM a good person. I don’t do anything illegal illegal, or at least I don’t do illegal things that hurt people in front of me, if that makes sense.I've done drugs, but I don’t steal. Not to say that anyone that’s ever stolen something is a bad person and far from it. Meaning I have my moments like everyone else. I was frustrated with the whole acting thing so that I would take it out on weird things like clothes," as per Daily Mail. 



 

'Terrible anxiety and depression'

Jansen who had received a nomination for Young Artist Award in 2008 for his acting in the movie, 'The Last Day of Summer'. On his official Website, he claims he had gone through terrible anxiety and found a resort in art. It states, "After spending time in LA as an adult he was ridden with terrible anxiety and depression; this period in his life eventually produced a spiritual clarity that drove him to start painting his problems, one by one. With more than 50 pieces, Jansen continues to heal himself as well as others with his visceral and emotive work." 

'He lived on the edge'

A source close to him claimed after the death, "He had been having a rough time lately with his career, and he was dragged in so many directions. Hayden is just inconsolable. He was her best friend and her only brother. He was such a nice guy, but he lived on the edge." Meanwhile, when it comes to acting, he stated in an interview with This Blond Life, "I’m not going to lie, my sister Hayden is an inspiration for me. I’ve learned a lot from her in the past few years."

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