American actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in the television series Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36. Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement, describing her as “an incredible light and a force of nature” who brought love and joy to those around her. He asked for privacy as the family comes to terms with the loss.
Panettiere’s death is being investigated by police in Greenville, South Carolina. Officers and emergency medical personnel responded to a report of an unresponsive woman at about 1:50pm on Sunday. Police said she was pronounced dead at the scene after medical assistance was provided. Authorities said the preliminary investigation had found no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
The actress had spoken publicly about her struggles with postpartum depression and addiction, which she said contributed to her decision to give up custody of her daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, in 2018. She also recently released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which detailed aspects of her personal life. In 2024, she spoke about the grief she experienced following the unexpected death of her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, in 2023.
Born and raised in Palisades, New York, Panettiere began working in television commercials at just 11 months old. She later appeared in soap operas including One Life to Live and Guiding Light, before taking on roles in films such as Remember the Titans and Bring It On: All or Nothing. She became widely known for playing Claire Bennet in Heroes and Juliette Barnes in Nashville. Her death comes less than a week before her 37th birthday.
