Hayden Panettiere, who starred in numerous different shows and movies, including “Heroes” and “Nashville,” has passed away at the age of 36, TMZ reports.
Sources told the outlet that she passed away earlier in the day on Sunday, Aug. 16.
“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 to ABC News.
He also asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
The specific details surrounding her death are unknown.
Tributes Pour In For Hayden Panettiere
“Omg!!! I’m sooo sorry to hear this. I knew she had a lot of struggles. I feel so sad for her daughter and family! I loved her in Nashville. Dang RIP,” one person commented.
“First Michelle now her? I’m gonna go watch Ice Princess now and cry😢,” another person wrote.
“That is so sad and way too young, only 36 damn!! RIP Hayden Panettiere,” a fan shared.
“She was an amazing actress, who brought so much joy to so many people with her movies. She was way too young. May she rest in paradise,” another fan posted.
“Wait is this actually real , IM DEVASTATED 😢❤️🙏🏼 praying for her and her family what happened!?,” one fan said.
Hayden Panettiere’s Legacy
Panettiere began her career as a young girl, but became a big name when she starred as cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s “Heroes.” She later landed the role of singer Juliette Barnes on “Nashville,” in which she earned multiple award nominations for her performance. She also starred in “Remember the Titans,” “Raising Helen,” “Ice Princess,” and “Bring It On: All or Nothing.”
She was also in the “Scream” franchise and did voice work for the video game “Until Dawn.” Panettiere did work on some popular soap operas, starring in “One Life to Live” for three years and “Guiding Light” for 4 years.
Panettiere released her memoir earlier this year, titled “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” where she opened up about being a child actress and growing up in the spotlight, while also talking about her struggles with addiction, postpartum depression, and her struggles after losing her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, who died in 2023 at the age of 23.
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter in May, she spoke about a time in her life, which she opened up about in her book, where she had to fulfill her press commitments for the Scream 6 movie after her brother passed.
“I didn’t know whether it would be a welcome distraction or whether I was pushing myself too soon. It wasn’t until I was physically there doing it that I realized I was about to break down and had to cancel on a bunch of people,” she explained. “It takes a team that tells you it’s OK to cancel, that you’re allowed to, and that was my publicist. I’m not sure I should have put myself in that position.”
