Actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," died at the age of 36. Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed the news Sunday night in a statement.
"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," her father said. "We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."
A cause of death has not been revealed. A source close to the actress told TMZ that Panettiere had been complaining of back pain over the past year. The outlet also reported that Panettiere and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson had departed Los Angeles on a flight on Saturday. Sources told TMZ that Hickerson's family is aware of Panettiere's death.
Panettiere leaves behind her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with former heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere gave birth to Kaya in 2014 and relinquished custody of her daughter in 2018, citing struggles with addiction and postpartum depression. "I mean, it was the worst signing those [custody] papers, the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever, ever had to do in my life," she stated in September 2022. Klitschko has not yet publicly commented on her death.
Career Highlights
Born in August 1989, Panettiere began her acting career in commercials at 11 months old. Her early roles included appearances on soap operas such as "One Life to Live" in 1994 and "Guiding Light" in 1997. She gained wider recognition for her portrayal of cheerleader Claire Bennet in the NBC series "Heroes," which aired from 2006 to 2010. She later starred as country music star Juliette Barnes in the ABC drama "Nashville" from 2012 to 2018.
Panettiere also appeared in the film "Scream 4" in 2011 and reprised her role as Kirby Reed in "Scream VI" in 2023. Other film credits include "I Love You, Beth Cooper" (2009) and "Sleepwalker" (2022). Her final credited acting role was in the psychological thriller "Sleepwalker."
Weeks before her death, Panettiere shared a playful black-and-white photo on Instagram with her friend, photographer Randall Slavin. She captioned the July 27 post: "Good times and good friends."