Charles Esten — who starred alongside Hayden Panettiere on the country music drama series “Nashville” — took to the stage at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, August 22. Esten used his time to honor the late actress one week after her untimely death.
A Live Tribute
Esten performed “Somewhere In the Sunshine” on the iconic Nashville, Tennessee, stage in honor of his dear friend.
“She was just a bright shining light. A firework…She was just a wonderful, wonderful human being and our hearts are broken right now,” Esten told the crowd as an image of him and Panettiere appeared on the screen behind him, per The Tennesseean. “But I have a song that I want to sing. This is one of mine, and it’s what I believe my faith tells me, my heart tells me. That my friend Hayden, who searched for peace for a long time, she found it. Right now she’s somewhere in the sunshine.”
Esten’s performance came just six days after the “Heroes” actress was found unresponsive inside an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina. Despite efforts to resuscitate her, Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” her father, Skip Panettiere, told ABC News at the time. “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.”
Hayden was just 36 years old.
A Social Tribute
Shortly after news of Panettiere’s death broke, Esten took to social media to share a heartbreaking tribute to the “Remember the Titans” star.
“Patty and I are stunned and saddened at the loss of our dear and beautiful friend Hayden,” he said of himself and wife Patty Hanson. “I will never forget the first time I met her.”
He went on to reminisce about meeting Panettiere during his first audition for “Nashville.”
“I had read two Deacon scenes before pulling out my guitar and singing two songs. I said my goodbyes and, hoping I’d done well, went to open the door to leave. Instead of swinging all the way out, the door bumped into somebody. Kinda hard,” he shared. “To my complete surprise, it was Hayden Paniettiere, who – in full Juliette Barnes mode – had been listening with her ear to the door. Instead of looking even a little bit caught, her face instantly bloomed into the most beautiful smile. Eyes twinkling, she clapped her hands and said, ‘That was so good!!'”
According to Esten, “there was nothing in the world [he] needed to hear more than that.”
“I told her that, along with my ‘HEROES’-watching family, I was already a big fan of hers, and that I was grateful for the very kind words. It was her turn to go in, so as I went to leave, I said a jokingly cocky, ‘See you on the set!'” he recalled. “I was, of course, many auditions away from landing that incredible role. But when I finally did, and showed up in Nashville to start work, she walked right up to me, pointed in my face, and with that magical grin said, ‘See you on the set!'”
The two became fast friends as they starred together for six seasons from 2012 to 2018.
“She was, of course, extraordinarily talented, infusing her larger-than-life character with all the heart, charisma, humor, whip-smart intelligence, and flat-out magic that were, alongside whatever troubles and pain she carried, a part of her own personal palette. What a great gift it was to act with her, sing with her, and to just be her friend. She was always extremely kind to my family, especially my wife, Patty, who I’m certain she liked even more than me,” Esten wrote. “Together, we are heartbroken that she is gone, and praying for her family, and for all those who, like us, will miss and mourn her so dearly.”
