Kate Cassidy's unsettling change after Liam Payne’s tragic death revealed, ‘She didn’t even seem like herself’

Kate Cassidy’s friend has spoken out about how deeply she struggled following boyfriend Liam Payne’s sudden death in Argentina last year.

Kate Cassidy’s close friend has spoken out about how deeply she struggled following boyfriend Liam Payne’s sudden death in Argentina last year. “There were months where I literally didn’t see her smile, and I was seeing her every day,” a friend told the Daily Mail on Sunday. “It was so concerning. She didn’t even seem like herself. She canceled a lot of hangouts and just was almost a recluse.”

Cassidy had left Buenos Aires just two days before Payne died on October 16, 2024, at age 31. (Instagram/@kateecass)

Cassidy, who began dating the former One Direction singer in 2022, reportedly withdrew from social life after his passing. The friend said she’s “doing better now,” adding that she’s been “hanging out with friends” and is “open to dating again,” though “she’s not quite there yet.”

Cassidy is ‘getting better now’

“There was a point where she was definitely not OK, but she’s getting better now,” the source said. “She’s moving forward now. She knows it’s what he would have wanted.”

The 26-year-old influencer is said to be ignoring claims made by CasaSur Palermo Hotel staffer Braian Nahuel Paiz, who alleged he spent an intimate night with Payne and provided him with drugs before the star fell to his death from a hotel balcony, according to PagesSix report.

“Kate doesn’t pay any attention to them,” the pal said of the allegations. “She knows what she and Liam had, and that it was very, very good. Whatever happened that day doesn’t change the love and respect of her relationship with Liam.”

Cassidy had left Buenos Aires just two days before Payne died on October 16, 2024, at age 31. Reports suggested he had urged her to stay longer and began showing “erratic” behavior after she left.

An autopsy later confirmed the presence of drugs in his system, and several people including Paiz now face charges related to supplying the substances.

Soon after his death, Cassidy shared a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram, “Liam was the kind of person you’d start missing the moment you walked out the door. Even when leaving the house for a few hours, I’d find myself rushing home to be with him again out of excitement.

She added, “Now facing the reality that I live in a constant state of missing you is something I still can’t fully wrap my head around. Knowing I can’t just come home and see you, hear your voice, or feel your hug, it’s a type of pain I can’t fully put into words."

In the months since, she’s opened up about their last moments together, including a wedding they attended in France shortly before his death. In August, she marked what would have been his 32nd birthday by baking a cake and later shared AI-generated images of the two dressed up together, reflecting on their time as a couple.