Gayle King Calls Out Hayden Panettiere’s Mother for Her Comments After the Actress’s Death

The longtime anchor didn't hold back her frustration on air. Her co-hosts echoed her unease over a grieving mother's choice of words so soon after tragedy.

Gayle King is speaking out in defense of the beloved late actress Hayden Panettiere after her estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, made her first public remarks following the actress's death.

Gayle King attends the FIFA Gold Carpet before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. | Source: Getty Images

The longtime anchor shared her perspective alongside her "CBS Mornings" colleagues.

During the Wednesday, August 19, broadcast of the show, King was joined by Kelly O'Grady and Vladimir Duthiers as they discussed recent developments surrounding the death of the "Heroes" alum.

Panettiere was found unresponsive in a Greenville, South Carolina, residence on Sunday afternoon, August 16, and was pronounced dead. She was 36. Her estranged mother spoke with NBC News about the loss.

Hayden Panettiere & Mom Lesley during HBO Premiere of "Normal" at Geffen Playhouse on March 3, 2003 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

King, 71, read some of Vogel's remarks aloud on "CBS Mornings," including a portion where Vogel said her daughter "sadly lost her way" and that she wished she "stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes."

"You know, guys, you read this and all I can think is, 'Thanks, Mom, for nothing,'" King said. Duthiers added, "I mean, Hayden Panettiere spent years publicly acknowledging her own failures, her own struggles."

He continued, "She did it with you in that interview. She cannot respond now, and for her mother to use these days after Hayden's death to just remind the world just how much trauma she caused, it's unseemly."

Lesley Vogel and Hayden Panettiere at Animal Fair's 8th Annual "Paws for Style" on June 11, 2007. | Source: Getty Images

King then referenced Panettiere's past comments about having a "complicated relationship with her mom," noting that "you hear stuff like that and you realize it was still very much [a work] in progress."

"It makes me so sad of the opportunity that you have after your daughter's death that that's what you choose to leave us with," King said. O'Grady added that "we would all agree" if Vogel had "stopped at 'she's amazing and she's talented.'"

"You would hope a mother's instinct is just mourn your daughter," Duthiers said, while King added, "Follow the lead of your partner, the father of her child." Panettiere's father, Alan "Skip" Panettiere, was the first to share a statement announcing her death on Sunday.

"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."

Two days later, Vogel spoke by phone with NBC News, offering a candid reflection on her daughter's talent and the pressures of growing up in Hollywood.

Hayden Panettiere and mother Lesley attend Mercedes Benz Fashion Week held at Smashbox Studios on March 20, 2007 in Culver City, California. | Source: Getty Images

"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," she said.

She continued, "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. I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes."

Hayden Panettiere with her mother Lesley Vogel on a yacht on Sydney Harbour on March 31, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. | Source: Getty Images

Don't miss

Celebrity

Hayden Panettiere’s Estranged Mother Lesley Vogel Speaks Out for the First Time After Her Death

Aug 19, 2026

Celebrity

Police Seen at Brian Hickerson’s Residence Days After Hayden Panettiere’s Death

Aug 20, 2026

Celebrity

Hayden Panettiere Reportedly Suffered ‘Overdose’ and Was Found Unresponsive by an ‘Acquaintance’

Aug 18, 2026

Vogel also touched on the loss of Panettiere's younger brother, Jansen, who died unexpectedly at 28 in 2023. "I just feel that she's with her brother and they're at peace," she said.

Over the years, Panettiere was candid about the rift between herself and Vogel. In May, she expressed hope that the two could eventually repair their relationship.

"Unfortunately, we don't have a relationship right now," she told Us Weekly at the time. "But that doesn't mean that I don't leave the door open for the opportunity to present itself one day."