Michelle Rodriguez is speaking out about the growing number of young stars who have died in recent years following the tragic death of Hayden Panettiere at just 36.
The Fast & Furious star, 48, addressed Panettiere’s passing Monday while attending the 25th anniversary screening of The Fast and the Furious in Los Angeles.
“I’ve got to tell you, man, I just can’t stand how many young people are leaving us lately,” Rodriguez said, expressing how deeply the recent losses have affected her.

“It’s disheartening, and it’s making me think, ‘What’s going on?’ It’s not normal. I don’t want to speculate about anything, but it’s weird,” she added.
Rodriguez went on to say that the number of young people dying since 2010 has been difficult for her to understand.
“Just in general, the amount and the volume of it since 2010 to now, it’s a lot,” she said.

Her connection to Panettiere made the loss especially personal. The two worked together as co-hosts of the World Music Awards in 2010, giving Rodriguez a chance to know the actress away from the spotlight.
Looking back on Panettiere, Rodriguez remembered her for her personality rather than her fame.
“Her curious spirit and how happy and joyous she is,” Rodriguez said. “Because that’s her memory, right?”

Panettiere was found unresponsive at a rental home in Greenville, South Carolina, on Aug. 16. Emergency responders attempted to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 36.
The actress had previously spoken openly about her struggles with addiction and postpartum depression. In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, she also reflected on the challenges she faced after becoming a star at a young age.

Panettiere’s death has also brought renewed attention to other former child stars who died young, including Michelle Trachtenberg and Daveigh Chase.
For Rodriguez, the recent losses have raised painful questions about why so many young people are dying far too soon, while leaving behind memories that their loved ones will carry with them.