Director Tim Fywell Honors Late “Ice Princess” Stars Hayden Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg

British director Tim Fywell issued a heartfelt statement after the death of Hayden Panettiere, who died at 36. In the same remarks he recalled co-star Michelle Trachtenberg, who passed away at 39 in February of the previous year. The director’s comments have prompted renewed discussion of the 2005 Disney film *Ice Princess* on social media.

Variety Magazine

*Ice Princess* follows teenager Casey Carlyle (Trachtenberg), who abandons a Harvard scholarship to pursue figure-skating, and her friend Gen (Panettiere), whose skating improves through computer-generated algorithms. The movie also featured Joan Cusack and Kim Cattrall as the protagonists’ mothers. Both Panettiere and Trachtenberg were child stars whose careers began in the early 2000s.

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Fywell’s statement to Variety highlighted Panettiere’s “plucky and determined” work ethic and Trachtenberg’s “kooky, fun” personality with “infectious laugh.” Actress Alexa PenaVega, known for *Spy Kids*, posted on social media expressing grief for Panettiere, Trachtenberg, and fellow child star Daveigh Chase, who died at 35 in June. She noted the challenges child actors face and offered prayers for their families. Corbin Bolies contributed to the Variety report.

Variety Magazine

• Hayden Panettiere: died at age 36.

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• Michelle Trachtenberg: died at age 39 (February last year).

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• Daveigh Chase: died at age 35 (June).

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• “It was really upsetting to hear yesterday of the death of Hayden Panettiere at the age of 36,” — Tim Fywell, director

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• “Hayden, Michelle, Daveigh… my heart is heavy today,” — Alexa PenaVega

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