Hayden Panettiere, the actress best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36. Her father, Skip, confirmed her death in a statement provided to ABC News. “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 on screen,” he said.
Police and emergency medical personnel were called to an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, shortly before 2:00 p. m. on Sunday afternoon. According to police, an acquaintance of Panettiere made the 911 call after she was found unresponsive at the Judson Mill Lofts southwest of downtown.
Emergency crews arrived and immediately began life-saving measures. Despite their efforts, Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene. The Greenville Police Department said its initial investigation found no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. According to dispatch audio obtained by People, officials could be heard discussing both an overdose and cardiac arrest around the time of her death, though authorities have not confirmed that an overdose was the cause.
The official cause of death will not be released until an autopsy is completed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. A publicist for Panettiere did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. Panettiere, who was set to turn 37 on Friday, began working as a child actor, appearing in commercials and soap operas before becoming a familiar face on television. Her breakthrough came in 2006 when she was cast as Claire Bennet, a superhero cheerleader, in the popular sci-fi series Heroes.
The show became a major hit, built around the now-famous phrase “Save the cheerleader, save the world. ”
In a 2008 interview with The Associated Press, she explained why she thought the show connected with so many viewers: “I think Heroes is really hot because it’s just a really great combination of everything that people love. They love reality. They love sci-fi and things like X-Men where they get to dream of something bigger.
And at the core of it are these human stories that people can relate to. ”
Her role on Heroes earned her three Teen Choice Awards and helped establish her as a major television star. She was also nominated for a Grammy Award for a children’s spoken-word album. In 2012, Panettiere joined the cast of Nashville as Juliette Barnes, a talented young country singer navigating the pressures of fame.
She remained on the series for all six seasons, earning two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress. She also recorded numerous songs for the show, several of which were released as singles and appeared on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Following the news of her death, tributes poured in from co-stars, friends, and fans. Actress Viola Davis shared a deeply emotional message on Instagram, writing, “What an amazing talent you were, so gifted.
Julius and I loved working with you. An old, wise soul with such a deep heart. I wish the world had more time with you because I had a burning curiosity about who you were becoming. I saw this beautiful phoenix rising from the ashes.
Your tests became your testimony, and your testimony became your legacy. You will be remembered. Rest well, Hayden. ”
Her Scream 4 co-star David Arquette wrote a short but powerful message: “I love you, Hayden.
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Melissa Barrera, who starred alongside Panettiere in Scream 6, wrote, “Rest in peace, sweet Hayden. ”
Actress Selma Blair left an emotional comment on Panettiere’s final Instagram post, pleading, “Don’t be gone, please. ”
Kelly Osbourne, a long-time friend, also reflected on their bond. The two had previously spoken publicly together about addiction and the challenges of growing up in the public eye.
Tragedy had already touched Panettiere’s family. Her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 at the age of 28. Panettiere was also open about her personal struggles, including alcohol addiction and postpartum depression. In 2014, she gave birth to her daughter, Kaya, with former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Panettiere revealed that she had gone through a near-fatal C-section during the birth. “I knew I was knocking on death’s doorstep, and I just had the most motherly moment where I said, ‘God, please just let me hear my daughter cry. I just want to know she’s okay,'” she later recalled. She described the birth as a moment when she felt ready to die if that was what was meant to happen, but her only concern was the safety of her newborn daughter.
Following Kaya’s birth, Panettiere faced severe postpartum depression. In 2018, she made the difficult decision to give Klitschko full custody of their daughter while she dealt with her ongoing struggles. “It was grief in the beginning,” she recalled on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast. “But because of the relationship that I do have with her and how things ultimately played out, I’m incredibly grateful to her.
She has an incredible father, an incredible family. ”
In a May interview, Panettiere opened up about her hopes for her daughter’s future. She revealed that Kaya, then 11, had begun showing interest in the entertainment industry, which made her both proud and nervous because of her own experiences growing up in the spotlight. “I started getting calls from my 11-year-old being interested in the industry, so that’s more of a nail-biter,” Panettiere shared.
“I always want to support whatever she wants to do, but I am trying to guide her toward let’s not rush into anything. ”
She hoped her daughter would have the chance to enjoy a normal childhood, explore different interests, and experience college before deciding whether she wanted a career in entertainment. “Why don’t you try a few things out and have a college experience,” Panettiere recalled telling her daughter. “She still has the ability to fly under the radar, and once you give that up, you don’t get it back.
Once you’re out there, and you’re famous and known, there is no getting your privacy back. ”
Panettiere also shared her concerns about her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, and how Kaya might react to reading about her mother’s struggles, particularly her battle with postpartum depression. “My fear is that I don’t ever want her to feel like the postpartum depression aspect was her fault in any way,” she explained. Panettiere had previously spoken publicly about a terrifying stalking experience while living in Nashville.
She described the individual as extremely dangerous and said the situation continued for a long time. “He not only got my private phone number, but also managed to obtain the numbers of some of my closest friends and people I trusted. He would call and text all day, every day with threats on my life,” she told US Weekly. She was forced to cancel speaking events because the stalker would travel to her scheduled locations.
The FBI eventually caught the stalker, who was sentenced to 30 months in prison. “Thank God for the FBI. Thank God they caught him,” she said. Panettiere’s death has raised many questions, particularly about the circumstances inside the home before emergency crews arrived.
Police have confirmed only that an acquaintance placed the 911 call. The identity of the caller has not been publicly revealed, and authorities have not said what happened immediately before the call was made. As of now, investigators continue to work to piece together what happened during Panettiere’s final hours.
The official cause of death remains pending the completion of the autopsy.
