Actress Hayden Panettiere, widely recognized for her roles in the NBC series "Heroes" and the musical drama "Nashville," has died at the age of 36. Her passing occurred just three months after the release of her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," in which she candidly discussed her experiences with fame and life's difficulties.
Representatives for Panettiere confirmed her death on Sunday, describing her as "an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her." The cause of death has not been immediately disclosed, though law enforcement sources have confirmed to TMZ that an investigation is ongoing following a police response to an incident involving the actress.
In May, Panettiere spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the process of writing her memoir. "One of the things that I was most terrified about, when deciding whether or not to write this book, was that I knew what was going to come along with it," she stated. "I had to sit with myself and make a decision, and I realized it was more important for me to share my stories and to wipe the slate clean."
She also shared that the initial reception to her book had been positive. "Reading those comments from people within the industry and outside of it, it makes me feel like I made the right decision to write the book," she told the outlet.
Sources close to Panettiere told TMZ that she had recently been complaining of back pain, and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, had traveled from Los Angeles to see her the day before her death.
Panettiere's career began at a very young age. She first appeared on screen at 11 months old and began her full-time acting career in 1994 on the ABC soap opera "One Life to Live." She later held roles in "Guiding Light" from 1996 to 2000.
Her breakout roles included playing cheerleader Claire Bennet on "Heroes" and Juliette Barnes on "Nashville." She also portrayed Kirby Reed in the "Scream" franchise and provided a voice for the video game "Until Dawn."
In 2018, Panettiere relinquished custody of her daughter to her ex-partner, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, citing her struggles with postpartum depression. She had recently come out as bisexual, telling Us Weekly in May, "It's sad that I had to wait till I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never, right?"
Panettiere also received award nominations throughout her career, including for her role in Pixar's "A Bug's Life," which earned her a Young Artist Award and a Grammy Award nomination, making her one of the youngest nominees for the award.
Her other acting credits include "Remember the Titans," "Ally McBeal," "Racing Stripes," "Ice Princess," and "I Love You, Beth Cooper." Panettiere also contributed music to several of her projects, including songs for "Tiger Cruise" and "Ice Princess."
In 2008, she released her first single not associated with an acting role, "Wake Up Call." The song was promoted with a television ad and a music video that featured Sebastian Stan.
