Hayden Panettiere, the actress best known for playing the superpowered cheerleader on NBC's "Heroes," has died at the age of 36. Her rep confirmed the news to Deadline.【0†L128-L129】
"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 rep said in a statement to ABC.【0†L131-L132】
The actress died in South Carolina, according to a source. Details are scant about her passing, but there is an ongoing investigation into the matter.【0†L133-L134】
A Career Defined by Iconic Roles
Panettiere's breakout role came in 2006 when she was cast as Claire Bennet on NBC's "Heroes." The show was originally supposed to involve new characters each season, but the popularity of the show and audience investment in the character played by Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia was such that the original actors remained through all four seasons.【0†L147-L149】
She followed that success with a leading role on ABC's "Nashville" (2012-2018), playing rising country star Juliette Barnes opposite Connie Britton. The show ran for six seasons, first on ABC and then CMT.【0†L153-L154】
On the film side, Panettiere appeared as Kirby Reed in three "Scream" films: "Scream 4" (2011), a cameo in "Scream" (2022), and "Scream VI" (2023).【0†L151-L152】 She also starred in "Remember the Titans," "Raising Helen," "Ice Princess," and "Bring It On: All or Nothing."
A Life of Struggle and Candor
Panettiere had been open about her struggles with depression and addiction. The actress told People she was given "happy pills" at the age of 15. She got "Heroes" at 16, and graduated to drinking and occasionally taking opioids. "My saving grace is that I couldn't be messy while on set and working," she said. "But things kept getting out of control [off set]. And as I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn't live without."【0†L137-L139】
In May, she released a memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," reflecting on childhood fame, motherhood, mental health, and more.【0†L119】
A Family's Grief
Panettiere's younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 of aortic valve complications at age 28.【0†L62】
Tributes have poured in from fans and colleagues. One crew member recalled working with Panettiere on a Neutrogena commercial: "She was a class act, always a professional, genuinely kind. She even stood up for me once, seeing that I was being overworked for a particular scene, and asked for the production to take a break on my behalf when no one else would."【0†L149-L151】
The investigation into her death continues.