‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ star Hayden Panettiere dies at 36, days ahead of her birthday, cause of death unknown

Hayden Panettiere, the American actor who rose to international fame with television shows such as “Heroes” and “Nashville,” has died at the age of 36. Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed the news in a statement provided to ABC News on Sunday.

Panettiere, who would have celebrated her 37th birthday on August 21, began working in the entertainment industry as a child, appearing in commercials and television soap operas before establishing herself as a prominent young actor in Hollywood.

Her family remembered her as a deeply loved presence whose work touched audiences around the world.

Hayden Panettiere death reason

“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,” her father said in the statement.

No cause of death has been announced.

Hayden Panettiere’s breakthrough with ‘Heroes’

Panettiere became a household name in 2006 after being cast as Claire Bennet in NBC’s “Heroes”. The character was a high school cheerleader with the ability to heal from injuries, and became one of the most recognisable figures from the science-fiction drama.

The show was built around the memorable phrase “Save the cheerleader, save the world” and quickly turned Panettiere into a star, AP reported.

Reflecting on the popularity of the series in a 2008 interview with The Associated Press, Panettiere explained why she believed the show had connected with such a wide audience.

“I think ‘Heroes’ is really hot because it’s just a really great combination of everything that people love — they love reality, they love sci-fi and things like X-Men where they get to dream of something bigger,” Panettiere told The Associated Press in 2008. “And at the core of it are these human stories that people can relate to, very rugged. And it’s just grabbed everyone in every age group.”

Her performance on “Heroes” earned her three Teen Choice Awards. Her career also extended into music, and she was nominated for a Grammy for a children's spoken word album recorded several years after the release of the animated film “A Bug’s Life.”

From ‘Heroes’ to ‘Nashville’

Panettiere later took on another defining television role in ABC’s “Nashville”, playing Juliette Barnes, a confident and often unpredictable young country singer.

The series initially ran for four seasons on ABC before being cancelled and subsequently revived by CMT. Panettiere performed the songs for her character herself, with music from the series finding an audience beyond the show.

During “Nashville’s” run, 11 songs featuring Panettiere appeared on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, including two tracks on which she performed alongside co-star Connie Britton. The show also led to US tours featuring its cast.

Panettiere’s performance as Juliette Barnes brought her two supporting actress Golden Globe nominations, further establishing her as an actor capable of moving between television drama and music.

Panettiere was candid about addiction and mental health struggles

Away from her acting career, Panettiere had spoken publicly about difficult periods in her personal life, including struggles with alcohol addiction and depression.

She had previously discussed the mental health challenges she experienced following the birth of her daughter with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. In interviews, she described a prolonged period in which she struggled with depression, anxiety, alcoholism and substance abuse.

Panettiere entered rehabilitation in 2015 while she was working on “Nashville”.

“I was the one who put myself in the first treatment center. I was drowning,” she said in a 2023 interview with Women’s Health magazine.

Her experiences also became part of the discussion surrounding her relationship with her daughter and the custody arrangement involving Klitschko.

What Hayden Panettiere said about her daughter’s custody

In an interview with podcaster Jay Shetty following the release of her memoir in May, Panettiere spoke about her 11-year-old daughter and the decision for the child to live full-time with Klitschko in Ukraine.

The 2018 custody decision had generated considerable media attention, with reports at the time suggesting that Panettiere had given up custody of her daughter. She rejected that interpretation.

“I think there’s been this very common misconception that I just gave up my child,” she said. “That could not be farther from the truth.”

Panettiere explained that Klitschko had suggested their daughter live with him full-time when the child was 2, at a time when Panettiere was dealing with serious mental health and addiction-related challenges.

She described that period as a “horrible cycle for years of battling depression and anxiety and alcoholism and substance abuse” while “just trying to find my way back, my way out of the darkness.”

Her comments offered a more detailed account of a deeply personal decision that had previously been widely discussed in the media.

Her brother Jansen Panettiere also died young

Panettiere’s death comes three years after the death of her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere.

Jansen died in 2023 at the age of 28. His death was attributed to a heart condition.

The siblings had both worked in the entertainment industry, with Jansen appearing in several television and film projects during his acting career.

Panettiere’s film career included ‘Scream’ and ‘Remember the Titans’

Although television remained central to Panettiere’s career, she also appeared in several major films.

She featured in two instalments of the “Scream” franchise and played the title role in the 2009 comedy “I Love You, Beth Cooper”.

One of her earlier film appearances came in “Remember the Titans”, in which she portrayed Sheryl Yoast, the opinionated, football-loving young daughter of football coach Bill Yoast, played by Will Patton.

Panettiere had spoken warmly about her experience making the film, saying she identified closely with the character she portrayed.

Her career, which began during childhood, ultimately spanned television, film and music, with “Heroes” and “Nashville” remaining among her most recognised credits.

Panettiere had also spoken openly in recent years about the challenges that accompanied her early fame. On Shetty’s podcast, she recalled the sudden attention that followed her “Heroes” breakthrough, including the first time paparazzi began following her.

She said that while she had imagined being photographed by paparazzi as a young actor, she had pictured herself looking stylish and prepared for the moment.

Instead, she recalled, “it was just sheer terror.”

Panettiere’s death at 36 marks the loss of an actor who had spent most of her life in the public eye, from her early work as a child performer to her breakthrough as Claire Bennet in “Heroes” and her later success as country singer Juliette Barnes in “Nashville”. Details surrounding her death, including the cause, have not been publicly disclosed.

(Inputs by AP)