Actor Hayden Panettiere, known for roles in ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville,’ dies at 36 - NBC News

Actor Hayden Panettiere, who was known for roles in television’s “Heroes” and “Nashville” and had recently published a memoir, has died, her father said in a statement Sunday night. She was 36. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Skip Panettiere said in a statement provided by her representative. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said Monday that the cause of death is pending further investigation. An autopsy was completed Monday, the statement added, and “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.” At around 1:50 p.m. Sunday, authorities received a 911 call about a “reported cardiac arrest” at an apartment complex, according to the coroner’s office. Police said an acquaintance of Panettiere’s made the 911 call. “Panettiere was found unresponsive inside the residence, where she had been temporarily staying,” the coroner’s office said. Advanced cardiac life support measures were initiated, but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, the statement added. Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. “The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office,” police said Sunday, adding that the preliminary investigation had not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. Panettiere revealed this year that she previously struggled with postpartum depression and addiction, which she said led to her decision to give up custody of her only child, daughter Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, in 2018, whom she had with former partner Wladimir Klitschko, the Ukrainian professional boxer. Panettiere recently published a memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” which generated headlines over its revelations, including some about her past relationships. In 2024, she described the pain and grief after her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died unexpectedly of an undiagnosed heart condition the previous year. “When you lose somebody that you saw in all the important moments in your life, standing right next to you, it just rocks your world,” she told NBC’s “TODAY” show. Hayden Panettiere was born and raised in Palisades, New York, about 40 miles north of New York City, according to her Television Academy bio. Panettiere started working at 11 months old, when she appeared in television commercials, it said. She appeared on soap operas, including “One Life to Live” and “Guiding Light,” beginning at age 4. Her voice was featured as the young princess ant in “A Bug’s Life,” the animated feature, and she eventually appeared in big-screen stories, including “Remember the Titans,” “Ice Princess” and “Bring It On: All or Nothing.” One of her most impactful roles was as Juliette Barnes on television’s “Nashville.” The role earned her two Golden Globe nominations. Before that, she was Claire Bennet on the 2000s show “Heroes.” Connie Briton, Panettiere’s co-star on “Nashville,” posted several photos of the two of them together on the set with the caption: “This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright. I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now. 💔” Matt Lanter, who played a boyfriend of Panettiere’s characters in both “Heroes” and ABC’s “Commander in Chief,” posted a sweet picture of her hugging him in happier times. “We always had a great time on set and tons of laughs,” Lanter wrote, saying Panettiere was “just too young” when she died. Emma Roberts, who appeared with Panettiere in the 2011 horror sequel “Scream 4,” also posted a loving photo of her kissing Panettiere on her forehead. Roberts, the niece of Julia Roberts, eulogized, “rest in peace my sweet friend,” telling the departed Panettiere that she was “so loved and you will be forever missed.” Her time shooting “Nashville” included the pressure of having had a baby and experiencing postpartum depression, she said, and at times it was too much. “That’s why I turned to substances — because the anxiety that I started having, the panic attacks that I started having,” she said in a tearful interview on the “Jay Shetty Podcast” in May. Panettiere said she always wanted to be a mother but discussed her sadness amid her postpartum depression. “I had this beautiful plan in my head, and then I had my daughter, and I knew something was just terribly, terribly wrong,” she said on the podcast. “I was miserable. I was in tears all the time. Even though the alcohol helped my nervous system calm down, it is a depressant, so over time it made things worse, not better.” Despite being apart from her daughter after she gave up custody to Klitschko, Panettiere told Shetty, she formed a strong bond with her child. “I will always want her here. I always miss her,” she said. “I always want to have my arms wrapped around her, but that’s just not the way life is right at this moment.” She continued, “I have faith that she is going to come to me and that we’re going to have an incredible relationship and bond and friendship that a lot of parents don’t get to have with their kids.” In 2018, the year “Nashville” ended its six-season run, Panettiere sold her home in the namesake city. The screen actors union SAG-AFTRA, which counted her as a member since 1994, said in a statement: “We join in mourning the sudden passing of Hayden Panettiere. Our hearts are with her daughter, family, friends and fans.” Viola Davis, who starred alongside Panettiere in the 2016 film “Custody,” paid tribute to her “amazing talent.” “I wish the world had more time with you because I had a burning curiosity about who you were becoming. I saw this beautiful Phoenix rising from the ashes. Your tests became your testimony, and your testimony became your legacy. You will be remembered,” Davis said on Instagram. Emme Rylan, who appeared with Panettiere in “Bring It On: All or Nothing,” said on Instagram: “So very sad. Rest in peace sweet soul.” Kelly Osbourne said in an Instagram Story that she was “deeply saddened by the loss of someone who meant so much to me.” “We understood each other in a way few truly can — recognizing how difficult it is to grow up in the spotlight, and how isolating it can feel even when surrounded by so many people,” Osbourne wrote, adding that Panettiere was “such a good friend to me.” Brit Shaw, who guest-starred on “Nashville,” called Panettiere’s death a “shock” on Instagram. “She had this way of making you feel at home. From the moment I walked onto the Nashville set, she made me feel like I belonged,” Shaw wrote. “We had so many good times together, and I’ll always be grateful for them.” Alyson Stoner, who succeeded Panettiere as the English voice actor for Kairi in the “Kingdom Hearts” video game franchise, also expressed her grief on Instagram. “From one Kairi to another… One sky, one destiny,” said the caption on the emotional video. “My deepest condolences to Hayden’s family, community, and the many lives Hayden reached. May you rest in freedom, Hayden.” Paul Strauss, one of Washington, D.C.’s nonvoting representatives in the U.S. Senate, shared a photo of himself with Panettiere on Instagram and said he was “devastated” by her death. “Hayden was a special person who always tried to use her platform for causes she believed in. Her advocacy to protect whales, and for DC Statehood were just some of the worthy causes she generously donated her time and energy to,” Strauss said. “A special soul gone way too soon.” Panettiere was a spokesperson for the Whaleman Foundation, an oceanic conservation group; appeared in the 2010 Oscar-winning documentary about dolphin slaughter, “The Cove”; and received the Genesis Wyler Award from the Humane Society, according to the Television Academy. “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. If you or someone you know is struggling or in emotional distress, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. For additional resources, visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.