Anna Paquin has spoken out about the dangers faced by female child stars following the death of Hayden Panettiere.

Saying young performers were "not as protected" by Hollywood as they should have been, actress Anna, 44, shared the message on Instagram, days after Hayden, 36, was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, and pronounced dead despite attempts to resuscitate her.

Anna, who became a child star herself and won an Oscar at 11 for The Piano, also used her warning to reference former young actors Michelle Trachtenberg and Daveigh Chase, who died aged 39 and 35 respectively.

Anna wrote: "It's not a coincidence that so many former, specifically pre-sexualised female, child 'stars' have profoundly sad lives and untimely ends."

She added: "We were not as protected by the 'systems' that look great on paper, as we are supposed to be. RIP HP, MT, DC, and too many others."

She also described former child performers as belonging to a "strange, small club" and directly offered her support to others with similar experiences.

She wrote: "You are worthy of support no matter how our industry made us feel."

Anna added: "Literally DM me. I believe you, and I will stand by your side. You aren't alone."

The comments received support from other former child actors, including Alyssa Milano, Shiri Appleby, Mara Wilson, Evan Rachel Wood, Marguerite Moreau and Rowan Blanchard.

Melissa Gilbert, who began playing Laura Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie as a child, also shared Anna's statement.

Melissa wrote: "Thank you Anna. Someone has to say something. Someone has to change this. Someone has to help."

Anna's intervention follows Hayden's death on 16 August.

Police and emergency medical personnel responded to reports of an unresponsive woman at a Greenville residence at about 1.51pm.

Dispatch audio included references to an "overdose" and "cardiac arrest", although Hayden's official cause and manner of death have not yet been determined.

The coroner said an autopsy found no signs of trauma and authorities have reported no indication of foul play.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has subsequently become involved in the investigation, according to People.

Hayden was one of the most recognisable young performers of her generation, appearing in Remember the Titans before becoming particularly associated with cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes and country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville. She also appeared in Scream 4 and Scream VI.

Earlier this year she published her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.

Michelle, best known for playing Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl, died in February 2025.

New York City's chief medical examiner subsequently determined that her death resulted from complications of diabetes mellitus and ruled it natural.

Daveigh, who voiced Lilo in Disney's Lilo and Stitch and played Samara Morgan in The Ring, died in Los Angeles in June.

Anna's career began with Jane Campion's The Piano, for which she won the Academy Award for best supporting actress.

She later became known to another generation of audiences as Rogue in the X-Men movies before starring as Sookie Stackhouse opposite Stephen Moyer in HBO's vampire drama True Blood.

Anna's comments were part of a wider discussion in Hollywood following Hayden's death.