Decades after the suicides of Ernest and Margaux Hemingway, Liam Payne‘s death is serving as a stark reminder of the ugly side to fame – especially for one of the writer’s surviving family members.
Hemingway’s granddaughter Mariel Hemingway, 51, can’t help but reflect on the heartbreaking similarities between the One Direction star and her sister Margaux in particular.
Once the world’s highest paid model, Margaux took her own life in 1996 following a years-long battle with substance abuse and depression, which her sister says was compounded by her stardom.
‘I am incredibly saddened by the loss of Liam Payne,’ Mariel told the DailyMail.com.
‘His tragic passing has brought to light the intense pressures that celebrities face, especially in the entertainment industry, where mental health struggles are often hidden behind the façade of fame.’
Ernest Hemingway’s granddaughter Mariel Hemingway warned the death of Liam Payne is a stark reminder that there are not enough mental health protections for celebrities
Payne died at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina last Wednesday
Payne, 31, fell to his death from the third floor balcony into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires last Wednesday.
Preliminary results from toxicology tests of Payne’s remains found traces of cocaine, benzodiazepine, crack cocaine and ‘pink cocaine’ — a combination of methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA.
The popstar had also previously discussed how he struggled with his meteoric rise to fame at the age of 16, detailing his mental health struggles.
He admitted to abusing alcohol, ‘because there was no other way to get your head around what was going on’.
As a successful actress in her own right who has at times struggled with her celebrity status, Mariel empathizes with the late pop star.
‘Liam had long been open about his battles with mental health, substance abuse, and the overwhelming stress that fame brought him,’ she explained.
‘From his time with One Direction to his solo career, Payne struggled with depression, alcohol dependency, and even suicidal ideation, issues that were exacerbated by the pressures of global stardom and the lack of personal freedom during his formative years in the band.’
Mariel has also experienced the tragic consequences of this pressure firsthand following her sister’s death.
Margaux Hemingway was once the world’s highest paid model, but her battle with depression drove her to suicide at the age of 41
Mariel (pictured) has experienced the tragic consequences of this pressure firsthand following her sister’s death
Margaux shot to fame in the 1970s as a model, appearing on the cover of Cosmopolitan, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and Time magazine before going on to have a successful acting career.
She was once described as ‘the face of a generation’. But behind the glittering façade, she was battling her own demons, including alcoholism and bulimia.
In 1996 at the age of 41, her struggles got the best of her and she took a fatal overdose of barbiturates.
Her badly decomposed body was discovered at her California home by her heartbroken friends.
‘There wasn’t help back then for Margaux in the ’70s and ’80s,’ Mariel explained. ‘Our awareness wasn’t what it is now.
‘I have spoken openly about my family’s struggles with mental health, including my sister Margaux’s challenges.
‘I have often expressed that during the early years in show business, there was very little awareness or support for mental health, especially in the entertainment industry.
‘Margaux did not receive the kind of mental health care and support that would be more accessible today.’
PIctured: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Mary in 1952, a decade before the writer would take his life
Her suicide came three decades after her grandfather Ernest Hemingway infamously shot himself to death following a lifelong struggle with alcoholism
Her suicide followed in the footsteps of her literary giant grandfather, who infamously killed himself with a double-barreled shotgun in 1961, just months after Mariel was born.
‘The pressures of Hollywood and the legacy of mental health issues in my family compounded the difficulties my sister and I both faced,’ Mariel said.
‘There is an incredible need for greater awareness and mental health resources.’
Mariel has detailed her struggles in two candid books that describe her difficulties growing up in a famous family haunted by depression, alcoholism, illness and suicide.
She found unusual ways to cope with the struggle and became OCD and obsessive about her food, schedule and organization.
Today, she has largely moved past her issues and advocates for greater protections for those in the industry.
‘This tragedy underscores the urgent need for better mental health support within the entertainment industry,’ Mariel said of Payne’s death.
‘While the music industry has made strides in acknowledging the mental health of artists, it is clear that more robust support systems are necessary.
Payne, pictured with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, is believed to have been under the influence of a cocktail of drugs at the time of his death
Mariel, pictured with reporter Gustavo Egusquiza, said that while there is a greater understanding of the pitfalls of fame today compared to when her sister died, there is still a long way to go
‘Payne’s death serves as a poignant reminder that even in the world of glamour and success, mental health struggles must be addressed with care, understanding, and timely intervention.’
‘It is crucial that the industry continues to prioritize the mental well-being of its artists, offering them the support and resources they need to navigate the pressures of fame.
‘May his soul rest in peace and his family find solace in the memories they made together.’