Even Stevens star Romano says early fame is like CTE after Panettiere

Even Stevens star Christy Carlson Romano published an emotional essay on Elle after Hayden Panettiere died on Aug. 16 at 36, comparing early fame to CTE—not as a diagnosis, but as repeated childhood impact from rejection, scrutiny, and adult pressure. She urged stronger protections for child performers, much like youth sports safety protocols.

Romano, who played Ren Stevens on Disney Channel's Even Stevens and voiced Kim Possible, wrote that she was "crushed" by the loss of "another performer I grew up with, gone too soon." Her comments arrive as Panettiere's death remains under investigation, though police have reported no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances, according to Variety.

Key Takeaways

• Romano published a personal Elle essay linking Panettiere's death to the toll of child stardom.
• She compared early fame to CTE as a metaphor for repeated emotional and professional impact.
• Both actors broke out in 2000, when Even Stevens and Remember the Titans premiered.
• Panettiere died at 36 after writing openly about addiction struggles in her memoir.
• Romano called for safety protocols for working child actors, similar to youth sports protections.

Why did Romano compare early fame to CTE?

In her essay, Romano said kid actors share a defining experience: rejection. "We're rejected from auditions more times before we're 10 than most people accrue in 10 lifetimes," she wrote.

Those who succeed receive intense adoration, she argued, but are torn down if they fail to reach A-list status quickly—all before their frontal lobes fully develop. She asked whether it is surprising so many former child stars struggle with addiction.

Romano stressed she was not offering a medical diagnosis. Instead, she framed early fame "as a way of thinking about repeated impact," noting society has concussion protocols for youth athletes but little language for children facing stress, scrutiny, and collapsed privacy.

How did Romano and Panettiere rise to fame together?

Romano and Panettiere both landed major breaks in 2000. That year, Even Stevens premiered alongside Panettiere's role in Remember the Titans, and the two came of age in Hollywood at the same time.

Romano starred in all three seasons of Even Stevens opposite Shia LaBeouf from 2000 to 2003 and later reprised Ren Stevens in The Even Stevens Movie. She also voiced the title character across four seasons of Kim Possible.

In recent years, Romano has used social media to speak about the realities child and teen stars face once the spotlight fades—a theme that resonates across Streaming & TV Alerts coverage of former Disney and network stars.

What is Romano calling for after Panettiere's death?

Romano described the former child actor as someone "the world does not know how to hold"—seen as children when the public wants protection, professionals when the industry wants profit, and spoiled celebrities when symptoms surface.

She pointed to children currently "smiling on screens," working long hours, and learning to charm adults before they know themselves. "We put youth athletes in helmets and pads," she wrote. "Why can't we pad the children paid to make the world smile?"

Panettiere had been open about addiction in her memoir. Romano's full essay is available on Elle's website, adding her voice to a growing conversation about safeguarding young performers in an industry that, she argues, often creates the wound and then acts surprised by the fallout.