Hayden Panettiere expressed a hopeful outlook on her future in an interview earlier this year, stating she felt she had "a lot more life to live." The "Nashville" and "Heroes" star shared her sentiments with podcaster Jay Shetty in May, describing a sense of emerging from "darkness" and personal challenges.
"I finally feel like I have shaken off all of this darkness and this negativity," Panettiere said during the podcast appearance. "I’ve closed one door and another door is opened … I can feel all the exciting possibilities. I feel like I have a lot more life to live."
The interview took place as Panettiere was promoting her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," which details her experiences with mental health and addiction. While discussing her past difficulties, she emphasized her focus on a brighter future and the "exciting possibilities" she perceived ahead.
Panettiere, who was 36, had previously spoken about her struggles with severe postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014. She had made the decision for her daughter to primarily reside with her father, former boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
Her father confirmed her passing on Sunday, calling her "an incredible light and a force of nature" in a statement. He added that she brought "immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen." The cause of death and circumstances surrounding it were not immediately disclosed.