Hayden Panettiere dies aged 36 as tributes pour in for Heroes and Nashville star
Hayden Panettiere, beloved star of Heroes and Nashville, has tragically died at the age of just 36, her representative has confirmed to ABC News.
A statement from Panettiere’s father was released through the American news network, asking for privacy as the family comes to terms with their devastating loss.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement.
The circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear.
On social media, Panettiere’s final post — a photograph of herself alongside director and podcaster Randall Slavin, shared in July — has become an impromptu digital memorial, drawing an outpouring of grief from fans and fellow celebrities alike, reports the Express.
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Fellow American actress Selma Blair wrote underneath the post: “I love you. Don’t be gone. Don’t be gone. Please. Please.”
SAG-AFTRA also paid tribute, writing on Instagram: “We mourn the sudden passing of Hayden Panettiere,” the union said in a statement. “A child actor, Hayden’s long career in TV & film included memorable roles in Heroes, Nashville and more. Our hearts are with her daughter, family, friends & fans. May she #RIP. #SagAftraMember since 1994.”
A second user wrote: “My stomach hurts. I’m trying to understand this. Like dude no.”
A third added: “This is the most shocking news. I remember seeing one of your first roles in Remember the Titans. Loved your work in Heroes as well. Rest easy and may god be with you, Hayden.”
While a fourth commented: “You deserved an easier, more peaceful, and much, much longer life. Rest Easy.”
Her death comes just months after her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, hit bookstores on May 19.
In the book, the mother-of-one offers a candid account of her experiences navigating Hollywood as a teenage star. The Scream actress details an incident in which an Oscar-winning actor allegedly exposed himself to her at a party, as well as a deeply troubling episode aboard a yacht where a trusted, unnamed friend placed her in bed next to a ‘very famous’ naked man.
Panettiere also spoke candidly about her battles with mental health, the devastating loss of her younger brother, Jansen, and her difficult decision to hand full custody of her daughter Kaya to her former partner, Ukrainian boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Appearing on Red Table Talk in 2022, she said: “I mean, it was the worst signing those papers and like the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever, ever had to do in my life.
“The papers were to give him full custody and I was gonna go work on myself and I was gonna get better.
“And when I got better, then things could change and she could come to me and I could have my time with her. But that didn’t happen.”
Speaking to podcaster Jay Shetty following the release of her memoir in May, she said: “The idea that anyone would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking and couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Panettiere revealed that her daughter had lived with her father full-time from an early age, as the actress battled addiction and mental health issues. She explained: “I was struggling with mental health and anxiety and the postpartum and having to act my way through it and just feeling like I completely lost myself.”
Beyond her well-known roles in Heroes and Nashville, Panettiere’s acting credits include films such as I Love You, Beth Cooper, Scream 4 and Scream VI, as well as the TV film Amanda Knox.
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