Hayden Panettiere, who began her career as a child actor and rose to prominence through Heroes and Nashville, has passed away at 36. Her representative confirmed the news in a statement to ABC News.
In a statement released to the media, Hayden’s father, Skip Panettiere said, “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.”
She entered the entertainment industry at a young age and built an extensive résumé across television, movies and voice work. One of her earliest notable film credits was voicing Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life. She later appeared in Remember the Titans, helping establish herself as a promising young actor.
Panettiere reached international fame in 2006 when she was cast as Claire Bennet in NBC’s superhero drama Heroes. Her character, a high school cheerleader with extraordinary regenerative abilities, became one of the show’s defining figures and made Panettiere a household name.
She followed Heroes with another major television role in Nashville, portraying aspiring country singer Juliette Barnes from 2012 to 2018. The part allowed her to showcase both her acting and singing abilities and earned her two Golden Globe nominations.
Her film career included appearances in Raising Helen, Ice Princess, I Love You, Beth Cooper, Scream 4 and Scream VI. She also continued working in voice acting and other screen projects throughout her career.
In recent years, Panettiere became increasingly open about her experiences growing up in the entertainment industry and the personal challenges she faced away from the spotlight. Her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, published earlier this year, offered a candid look at her life, career and experiences in Hollywood.
Her death marks the loss of an actor whose career spanned more than three decades. As fans and fellow performers remember her work, further details surrounding her death remain unavailable.
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