Alexa PenaVega Reflects On Child Stardom After Hayden Panettiere’s Death: ‘We Were Kids’
Alexa PenaVega is reflecting on childhood fame after Hayden Panettiere’s death. PenaVega wrote via Instagram on August 17, “Hayden, Michelle [Trachtenberg], Daveigh [Chase] … my heart is heavy today. These aren’t just names from my childhood. They’re girls I grew up alongside, sharing a world that was exciting and also incredibly hard. We were kids navigating something so big, and not everyone had the foundation or support they deserved.” She continued, “Today, I’m grieving and holding their families close in my prayers and thinking of everyone still fighting battles we can’t see. Hug your people close today.” Trachtenberg, who starred alongside Panettiere in the 2005 film 'Ice Princess,' died at age 39 in February 2025, while Chase — who voiced Lilo in the 2002 movie 'Lilo & Stitch' — died at age 35 in June 2025. PenaVega, meanwhile, was a fixture in the early aughts from her work in the 'Spy Kids' franchise.
