Hayden Panettiere, the actress who rose to fame as the indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC's Heroes, has died at the age of 36[reference:167][reference:168]. Her father confirmed the news to ABC News on Sunday[reference:169].
"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," Skip Panettiere said in a statement[reference:170]. He also asked for privacy "as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss"[reference:171].
Career Highlights
Panettiere's career spanned over three decades. She began acting at 11 months old and had a four-year run on One Life to Live[reference:172]. Her breakout role came in 2006 as Claire Bennet on Heroes, a role that earned her Teen Choice nominations and a Young Artist Award[reference:173][reference:174]. She later starred as Juliette Barnes on Nashville from 2012 to 2018, earning Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations[reference:175][reference:176]. Panettiere also appeared as Kirby Reed in three Scream films: Scream 4 (2011), Scream (2022), and Scream VI (2023)[reference:177].
Personal Life and Struggles
Panettiere was in a relationship with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko and had a daughter, Kaya, in 2014[reference:178]. Her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 at age 28[reference:179].
Earlier this year, Panettiere released her memoir, where she opened up about her battles with addiction and postpartum depression[reference:180]. She had been open about her struggles, telling people she was given "happy pills" at age 15 and that drugs and alcohol became something she almost couldn't live without[reference:181].