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Director Griff Furst Under Fire for ‘Dark’ Energy Remark About Hayden Panettiere

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Director Griff Furst came under fire Tuesday following his tribute for late actress Hayden Panettiere, with some blasting the post as “ambulance chasing.”

For those who didn’t see the video statement uploaded to Instagram, Furst, who directed Panettiere in one of her last movies, 2025’s “A Breed Apart,” explained he wanted to speak directly to his fans out of fear tabloids would take what he had to share “out of context.”

“I had met Hayden about 10 years before that and I knew that she was insanely talented, so when she signed on to do this picture that we were shooting, I was psyched,” Furst recalled. “I really wanted to work with her. So I’m on set, and I get word from the movie’s security team who picked her up from the airport that something was off.”

He continued: “I didn’t think much about it, and so I left set and I walked over to greet her and her boyfriend Brian [Hickerson]. He opened the door. Hayden was incredibly sweet and gracious and excited to work, but she was not okay.”

“I’m not going to get into the details of why that was, but having worked on over 100 movies and seeing just about everything, it was pretty clear that she wasn’t okay,” Furst noted. “And the energy in her room was pretty dark.”

Furst’s tribute didn’t sit well with several of Panettiere’s fans, with one critic suggesting his post felt “more like you trying to promote your film than your care for her.”

The fan added: “Ambulance chasing at its worst.”

“Ehhh I think this could be taken out of context as well,” actress Alexandra Grey wrote in the comments. “I don’t know if it’s the right timing. I think the only thing that we want hear is that you are grateful that you had an opportunity to work with such a talented individual. That’s kind of all I wanted to hear. I don’t know if we needed to know that the set was dark. The day after she passed unless there’s a message there which I didn’t quite get yet.”

A third follower expressed a similar sentiment, writing on this post, “There’s a difference between knowing something and saying something… When you’re someone’s friend you don’t do a post like this.”

A fourth fan urged the director to say, “No comment” in the future. “Golden Rule… if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it,” the follower responded. “If what happened on that set had any ties, influence, or impact regarding what just happened to Hayden, then speak to the police. This absolutely feels like you are using this tragedy as a podium. Not a good look. Two words for you sir – ‘No Comment.’”

A rep for Furst did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment. However, Furst tried to explain his good intentions in the comments section, writing, “I chose to come here and share this directly because tabloids have been asking for statements, and I refuse to let this be taken out of context. Let’s keep the focus where it belongs: on the realities of addiction. If you or a friend are fighting this fight, reach out to SAMHSA at 1-800-662-4357. You aren’t alone.”

Panettiere, a veteran actress known for her work on “Heroes,” “Nashville,” the “Scream” franchise and “Remember the Titans,” was found unresponsive by emergency services responding to a 911 call in Greenville, S.C. on Sunday, with “no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances,” per the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. She died at the age of 36.

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‘Supergirl’ & ‘Oppenheimer’ Actor David Krumholtz Taking “An Indefinite Break” From Acting: “Frustrated, Fed Up, Fried”

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David Krumholtz will be taking a step back from Hollywood after the actor from Supergirl and Oppenheimer got real in a series of social media posts.

The actor made the decision to take “an indefinite break” after expressing being “frustrated, fed up, fried” with the business, as “the profession has lost its gleam.”

“I kinda sorta put my acting career on hold the other day. It’s been something I’ve been petrified to do for years,” Krumholtz posted on Threads. “Specifically, the fear was that I’d go broke and not be able to handle being out of the game. But I sent the definitive email.”

He continued, “And gotta say, a huge wave of relief washed over me. Not sure what I’m going to do for money instead, or how I’m going to do it, but I just removed a humongous burden, one that I truly didn’t fathom the weight of until it was gone. Frustrated, fed up, fried.”

Krumholtz’s announcement got messages of support, and the actor continued the conversation, replying to fans.

“The love and encouragement re: my last post is overwhelmingly surprising. Acting professionally is a very different concept than the exercise of acting itself,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed every single minute of exercising the muscle. I’ve enjoyed the fanfare. There was a time when being competitive and self-involved really served my pursuit. That time has passed. Much to MY overwhelming surprise. There will always be great joy in the exercise. But for me, the profession has lost its gleam.”

Lanterns actor Garret Dillahunt replied to Krumholtz, saying, “This is sad news for me. But I am happy for you. I understand completely.”

Krumholtz replied, “Garret, man. Means the world. Ain’t over, rather, redefining my terms. Hoping to find a new, more rewarding passion. Me, my product, and I mentality is not working anymore. I want to try to be of service. No crystal ball.”

The 10 Things I Hate About You actor further clarified that he’s “not quitting entirely,” adding, “Just taking a bit of a step back and an indefinite break. The stress of the moment has me wondering if there’s a higher calling to pursue. Thanks for the very kind thought. Means the world.”

Krumholtz has an extensive resumé in television and film. In 1993, he starred in Addams Family Values as Joel Glicker. The following year, he starred as the Head Elf Bernard in The Santa Clause, a role which he would reprise in 2002’s The Santa Clause 2 and in the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses.

Other films in which Krumholtz has starred include Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), The Mexican (2001), Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), Ray (2004), Serenity (2005), Superbad (2007), among many others. He also voiced Karrem Abdul Lavash in the animated film Sausage Party (2016), a role which he would reprise in the 2024 animated series Sausage Party: Foodtopia.

In 2023, he played Isidor Isaac Rabi in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, and earlier this year he played Zor-El in Supergirl.

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Anne Hathaway ‘Pushed Hard’ to Get Julie Andrews in Princess Diaries 3

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Anne Hathaway is revealing that she “did push really hard” trying to get Julie Andrews to reprise her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi in the upcoming third Princess Diaries installment.

During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight after receiving her Disney Legends Honor at the D23 Expo, the Oscar winner reacted to Andrews saying she doesn’t “think I should be a part of” Princess Diaries 3.

“First of all, I just want to say if she has a change of heart, we’re down,” Hathaway said. “Just anything, really. But we also want to be respectful. Like, for goodness sakes, if anybody has contributed to the world of entertainment and to our collective joy, it’s her. Whatever she wants, we completely understand.”

However, The Odyssey actress added, “We did push really hard to see if she would want to do it.”

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter earlier this month, Andrews explained why she doesn’t see herself stepping into Queen Clarisse Renaldi’s shoes again. “I think the absolute truth is that I think I’m really past all that now,” The Sound of Music star confessed. “I’m not completely retired, but it’s a different kind of work that I do these days — [writing] books, and I do a lot of recording of podcasts and voiceovers. But truly, I don’t think I should be a part of it.”

While details surrounding Princess Diaries 3 are being kept under wraps, the movie is set to be a continuation of the film series, which centers on Mia Thermopolis (Hathaway), who finds out that she is the heir apparent to the throne of Genovia. At the end of the second installment, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Mia is crowned the queen of Genovia single after Parliament abolishes the law requiring that a queen be married first. However, she also finally gets together with Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine) after calling off her wedding to Andrew Jacoby (Callum Blue).

Hathaway also told ET that she just wants the third installment “to be fun” for those who have been fans since the original film released in 2001.

“I want the women who were six when the first one came out — a lot of whom are now mothers themselves, maybe even with six-year-olds — I want them to feel like they’re bringing their children to something that mattered to them, a core memory for them, something that was a part of their heart and their lives,” she said. “And that means doing it justice. And that means taking the time that it takes to really build it right. That’s a lot of pressure, but I feel like this is a great team.”

Adele Lim has been tapped to direct the feature, with Flora Greeson writing the script. Aadrita Mukerji had written an earlier draft of the screenplay before the production team pivoted in a different direction.

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David Krumholtz Says He’s Taking an ‘Indefinite Break’ From Acting

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David Krumholtz shared that he’s taking an “indefinite break” from acting, saying he hopes to pursue “a higher calling” moving forward.

The veteran actor, known for his performances in “Numb3rs,” “The Santa Clause,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Oppenheimer” and “Supergirl,” issued a career update on Threads Monday, writing (before later deleting), “I kinda sorta put my acting career on hold the other day. It’s been something I’ve been petrified to do for years … Specifically, the fear was that I’d go broke and not be able to handle being out of the game.”

He added: “But I sent the definitive email … And gotta say, a huge wave of relief washed over me. Not sure what I’m going to do for money instead, or how I’m going to do it, but I just removed a humongous burden, one that I truly didn’t fathom the weight of until it was gone. Frustrated, fed up, fried.”

After the post picked up steam on Threads, with many friends and fans speaking out in support of Krumholtz, the actor clarified that he wasn’t officially retiring – just “redefining [his] terms.”

“Ain’t over, rather, redefining my terms,” he wrote. “Hoping to find a new, more rewarding passion. Me, my product, and I mentality is not working anymore. I want to try to be of service. No crystal ball.”

He expressed a similar sentiment to one fan who begged him not to quit, writing on Tuesday, “Not quitting entirely. Just taking a bit of a step back and an indefinite break. The stress of the moment has me wondering if there’s a higher calling to pursue. Thanks for the very kind thought. Means the world.”

As for what he’d like to do next? Krumholtz shared that he would like to “inspire kids in school through motivational speaking.”

In another deleted post, Krumholtz explained that “fighting for parts” this last year left him feeling frustrated, given the opportunities he came across were set to “exploit my talent and reputation for a drastically diminishing return.” 

“Exploitative art isn’t art,” he said in the since-deleted post. “And artists deserve a fair pay percentage for work that assists their employers in making profits.”

A representative for Krumholtz did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

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