Jack Coleman is remembering his “Heroes” costar Hayden Panettiere and the close bond they formed while playing father and daughter on the hit NBC series.
“I’m heartbroken. I couldn’t begin to put my thoughts into words until now, and they will be inadequate,” Coleman began.
The actor recalled meeting Panettiere while filming the “Heroes” pilot 20 years ago, when she was just 16. According to Coleman, Panettiere introduced herself by yelling “daddy” before throwing her arms around him. From then on, she affectionately called him “daddio,” while he nicknamed her “Haydini” because, as he put it, “she was a magician.”
Jack Coleman Recalls Hayden Panettiere’s Talent and Life on ‘Heroes’
Coleman went on to remember being impressed by Panettiere’s natural ability from the beginning. He recalled watching her repeatedly cry at the exact same moment while filming an early scene and initially assuming it was part of her acting technique.
Panettiere quickly corrected him.
“It’s not technique,” Coleman recalled her saying. “I’m not a trained seal. I feel it and the tears just happen to come at that moment.”
Beyond her talent, Coleman remembered Panettiere as someone who brought plenty of energy and laughter to the “Heroes” set. He praised her photographic memory and ability to consistently deliver during takes, describing her as a “tiny colossus” with a “megawatt smile.”
“She glowed,” he wrote.
But Coleman also reflected on the intense attention Panettiere faced as her fame grew. According to Variety, Panettiere became the No. 1-ranked celebrity on IMDbPro by age 17. Coleman recalled reporters repeatedly asking the teenage actress variations of when she was going to “go off the rails,” questions he now considers “misogynistic provocations.”
The attention extended beyond interviews. Coleman said photographers followed Panettiere and used long-range lenses to capture her private moments. He recalled one incident when paparazzi allegedly hid in bushes behind his home and drove onto neighbors’ lawns while Panettiere was visiting.
“They were predatory,” he wrote. “No one, especially a teenager, should be targeted that way.”
Coleman Says He Wishes Panettiere Had Been ‘Given That Same Protection’
Coleman also remembered the qualities Panettiere displayed away from the cameras. He recalled her standing up for someone named Tess while she was being bullied and highlighted Panettiere’s longtime commitment to animal welfare.
The pair starred together throughout the original run of “Heroes,” which aired for four seasons from 2006 to 2010. Their father-daughter relationship became a central part of the series as Claire navigated her supernatural ability to rapidly heal while Noah tried to protect her.
Coleman is among several members of the “Heroes” family who have honored Panettiere following her passing. Per Variety, costar Sendhil Ramamurthy remembered her for standing up for background actors and knowing crew members by name. Series creator Tim Kring also praised Panettiere as a gifted performer who showed maturity beyond her years.
Panettiere passed away Aug. 16 at age 36 after being found in cardiac arrest. Her official cause of death remains under investigation.
For Coleman, however, his tribute centered on the teenager he met two decades ago and the woman he continued to care for long after they became an onscreen family.
“I love you, Hayden. I’ll miss you. I’m so sorry you suffered,” he wrote, before ending his message, “Good night, sweet girl. And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”
