Hayden Panettiere, known for her role in "Ice Princess" and "Heroes," died Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina, at the age of 36. Her death comes 18 months after her "Ice Princess" co-star Michelle Trachtenberg passed away in February at 39.
Panettiere and Trachtenberg, who played best friends and competitive figure skaters Casey Carlyle and Gen Harwood in the 2005 Disney film, were both established child stars before their collaboration. "Ice Princess" centered on a high schooler who discovers a passion for figure skating, with Panettiere portraying the daughter of a local rink manager and Trachtenberg playing the ambitious protagonist.
Their on-screen mother, Kim Cattrall, shared a tribute to Panettiere on Instagram, writing, "Rest in peace sweet Hayden. Gone far too soon."
In a 2006 interview, Trachtenberg described the characters' friendship: "Gen is the star skater, and Casey admires her for her technique and ability. [They] develop a friendship throughout the film, and Gen helps Casey realize that she really is a great skater."
Panettiere once shared that she performed most of her own skating in the film, learning to skate to the left for the role, despite her natural inclination to skate to the right. She also noted similarities and differences between herself and her "Ice Princess" character, describing herself as more laid-back and preferring comfortable clothing, while Gen was a "girly girl."
Six years after "Ice Princess," in 2011, Panettiere and Trachtenberg reunited at a charity fashion event in New York City. Both actresses had successful careers as child stars, with Trachtenberg appearing in "Harriet the Spy" and Panettiere in "Remember the Titans." They later became TV icons, with Trachtenberg in "Gossip Girl" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and Panettiere in "Heroes" and "Nashville."
Following news of Panettiere's death, fans and colleagues shared tributes online. Actress Blake Lively posted a montage of clips from "Ice Princess" on Instagram Stories, urging kindness and thanking the actresses for the joy they brought. Many fans expressed sadness, with some noting the poignant parallel of their deaths and recalling their "Ice Princess" roles. "Two beautiful souls, two faces we grew up watching, and memories that will forever live on through the characters they brought to life," one fan wrote.
Regarding Panettiere's death, the Greenville County Sheriff's Office stated that her autopsy revealed no signs of trauma, with further investigation underway to determine the cause. 911 audio indicated the actress had gone into cardiac arrest following a suspected overdose. Narcan was found in the apartment.
Last month, Rosie O'Donnell reportedly claimed that Trachtenberg was battling drug and alcohol addiction before her death. Police sources had previously told ABC News that Trachtenberg was found unresponsive in her New York City apartment. It was also reported that she had undergone a liver transplant after struggling with alcohol issues and may have experienced complications. Trachtenberg's cause of death was later confirmed as complications from diabetes mellitus.