Hayden Panettiere, who rose to stardom on the small screen playing the indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet on “Heroes” and the feisty country music singer Juliette Barnes on “Nashville,” has died at the age of 36.
Her rep confirmed her death on Sunday, according 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 onscreen,” the statement read.
The cause of death has yet to be determined.
According to a report by TMZ on Sunday, which cited sources with firsthand knowledge, Panettiere and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson flew from Los Angeles to the South on Saturday, and Hickerson’s family was notified. One source referred to the situation as “a sad situation.”
Born on August 21, 1989, in Palisades, New York, to actress Lesley Vogel and firefighter Alan Lee “Skip” Panettiere, she made her first commercial at 11 months old. At four years old, she joined the ABC soap opera “One Life to Live” and later played Lizzie Spaulding on the CBS soap “Guiding Light.”
Her films include “A Bug’s Life,” “Remember the Titans,” “Ice Princess,” “Bring It On: All or Nothing,” “Scream 4,” and “Scream VI.” She also voiced a leading character in the video game “Until Dawn.” She received two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film for her performance in “Nashville.” Her latest movie, the thriller “Sleepwalker,” premiered in January.
Over the past few years, Panettiere shared her experiences regarding her struggles with addiction, postpartum depression, and grief. In May, she released a memoir titled “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” wherein she candidly talks about her experience of growing up in the limelight, motherhood, and loss.
Most of the book focuses on her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, who died on February 19, 2023, at age 28. According to the family, a medical examiner determined that his death occurred due to cardiomegaly, an enlarged heart, combined with aortic valve complications.
Three years after the loss of her brother, she told E! News that she was still grieving.
“It’s all the time,” she explained of her grief. “It just evolves, especially with a sibling and being the older sibling. You’re just riddled with guilt that you didn’t do your job.”
“I miss him all the time,” she added. “I didn’t think I would have to do life without him, but I’m grateful that I had the time I had with him.”
Panettiere mostly stayed away from the media since her book tour. In July, she canceled her appearance at the last minute at the horror convention Creep I.E. Aftermath in Ontario, California, where she was slated to participate in the “Scream 4” cast reunion. At the time, her rep said she “canceled her appearance due to a private family matter concerning the health of an elderly relative,” according to People.
She leaves behind her daughter Kaya, 11, whose father is former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, and her parents.
This is a developing story.
