Aerosmith frontman and former “American Idol” judge Steven Tyler is heartbroken over the passing of his “dear friend” Hayden Panettiere.
The actress died on Sunday, August 16, when first responders “arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest,” a statement from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office reads, People reports. “EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM.” She was just 36.
Steven Tyler Reacts to Hayden Panettiere’s Passing
TMZ asked Tyler to share his thoughts on Panettiere’s death on Tuesday, August 18. “She was a dear friend of mine; I loved her dearly,” he said while sitting in a car. He also mentioned that he “felt bad” for her mom and sent his love.
Tyler’s recent comments about Panettiere after her death are not the first time he has spoken about her with fondness. Panettiere is celebrated for her role as Juliette Barnes on the hit series “Nashville,” where she showed what a talented singer she is. One of her most memorable performances came in Season 4, when she performed onstage with Tyler. The pair sang a rendition of Patsy Cline’s country classic, “Crazy,” and it was so incredible that some people questioned if it was a live performance.
“Hayden is a peach,” Tyler told Entertainment Weekly in September 2015. “She’s a seasoned pro, from her success on NBC’s ‘Heroes,’ she’s a true professional both while filming, recording and off set as well.” In his interview, he confirmed that they both sang live. “Why lip sync when you can sing live? And yes — she is that good! We had to give the audience a performance. My favorite thing about filming is that I can yell, ‘CUT!’ and have a do-over if I want. There are no cuts in rock n’ roll.”
Remembering Hayden Panettiere’s Successful Career
In addition to “Nashville,” Panettiere is fondly remembered for her roles in “Heroes,” “Bring It On,” and “Scream 6.” She got her first big break at age four when she appeared in the soap opera “One Life to Live.” She also appeared on “Guiding Light” from 1996 to 2000. However, her career began when she was just a baby, and her mother, Lesley Vogel, signed her with modeling agencies.
Panettiere had a complicated relationship with Vogel, whom she cut ties with professionally at 19. “All I wanted was a dynamic that didn’t involve contracts, producers, boho tops, or drinking wine at industry parties,” she said of her decision, The Independent reports. But her mother didn’t react as she’d hoped. Panettiere says she “picked up her purse, clenched her jaw, and looked straight at me. ‘You owe me.’” She then left her trailer. “I knew I’d done the right thing, but I sensed something in me had died,” Panettiere stated.
Panettiere’s official cause of death has not been made public as the coroner is waiting for the results of the toxicology tests. However, it was reported by TMZ that her remains were ready to be collected and her family had been notified.
