Hayden Panettiere, the actress who rose to fame as a child performer before starring in hit television series including Heroes and Nashville, has died. She was 36.
Panettiere was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday, August 16. She was pronounced dead after emergency responders attempted to resuscitate her. Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing, but no signs of trauma or foul play were initially reported. An official cause of death has not been determined. (Associated Press)
Born August 21, 1989, Panettiere began appearing in commercials as a young child and later secured roles on the daytime dramas One Life to Live and Guiding Light. Her early film credits included voicing Dot in A Bug’s Life and portraying Sheryl Yoast in Remember the Titans.
She became internationally recognized as Claire Bennet, the seemingly indestructible cheerleader on NBC’s Heroes. Panettiere later portrayed country singer Juliette Barnes on ABC’s Nashville, earning two Golden Globe nominations. Her additional credits included Scream 4, Scream VI, Raising Helen and Ice Princess.
Away from the screen, Panettiere spoke candidly about the pressures of growing up in the entertainment industry, postpartum depression, addiction and recovery. She also experienced the sudden death of her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, in 2023.
Panettiere was only five days away from her 37th birthday. In a personal connection for the Brandon Network, she shared her August 21 birthday with network founder Dr. Brandon Gillespie.
She is survived by her daughter, Kaya, and her parents.
This is a developing story and will be updated as additional verified information becomes available.
