Hayden Panettiere, the child star who grew into a familiar face through Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise, has passed away. Her representative confirmed the death to ABC News. Her family has asked for privacy, while authorities have not publicly disclosed further details about her death.
Hayden Panettiere passes away at the age of 36
Hayden Panettiere has died at 36, leaving Hollywood and her fans mourning the loss of a familiar and beloved face. Her father, Skip Panettiere, remembered her as “an incredible light and a force of nature,” telling ABC News that she brought happiness to those around her and the audiences who followed her career. As the family mourns, he also urged people to respect their privacy and give them room to grieve.
Hayden Panettiere was hardly a newcomer when she started in Hollywood. She landed commercial work as a child before moving into television and movies, eventually getting her shot as Claire Bennet on NBC’s Heroes.
The 2006 superhero series made her a household name, with her seemingly unkillable cheerleader becoming one of the show’s most memorable faces. Panettiere stayed on board for all four seasons.
Then came another career-defining role. From 2012 to 2018, she starred in ABC’s Nashville as Juliette Barnes, a talented but troubled country singer trying to survive the chaos of fame. The performance earned nominations at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Television Awards, Teen Choice Awards and People’s Choice Awards. Her film credits also include Remember the Titans, I Love You, Beth Cooper, Scream 4 and Scream VI.
Panettiere also opened the door to some of her most personal struggles in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which arrived in May. The book goes beyond her Hollywood career, touching on addiction, postpartum depression, trauma, recovery and the painful moments that shaped her life. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, she said she wanted to be truthful about her experiences without dragging “people through the mud.”
Panettiere leaves behind her daughter, Kaya Klitschko, whom she welcomed in 2014 with former fiancé and heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.
