Hayden Panettiere, ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ Star, Dies at 36

Hayden Panettiere, the actress best known for her roles in Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise, has died at the age of 36.

Panettiere died Sunday, Aug. 16, according to her representative, who confirmed the news to PEOPLE on behalf of her father, Alan Panettiere.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” her father said. “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.”

No details about the circumstances or cause of her death have been released.

Panettiere began her acting career as a child. She appeared on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live in 1994 before joining CBS’ Guiding Light. She also made her film debut as the voice of Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life in 1996.

Her early film roles included Remember the Titans in 2000, where she played the daughter of Will Patton’s character, and Ice Princess in 2005.

Her major breakthrough came in 2006 when she was cast as Claire Bennet on NBC’s hit science-fiction drama Heroes. Her character, a high school cheerleader with the ability to heal herself, became one of the show’s most recognizable figures and made Panettiere internationally famous.

After Heroes ended in 2010, Panettiere appeared in films including Scream 4. She later returned to the role of Kirby Reed in Scream 6 in 2023.

From 2012 to 2018, she starred as Juliette Barnes in ABC’s country music drama Nashville, appearing alongside Connie Britton throughout the show’s six-season run.

Panettiere later returned to acting after several years away from the spotlight. Her later credits included Amber Alert in 2024 and A Breed Apart in 2025. Her final film, Sleepwalker, was released in January.

She also pursued a career in music and released several songs during her years in entertainment.

Away from acting, Panettiere was open about the difficult periods in her personal life. She became a mother in December 2014 when she and her then-fiancé, former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, welcomed their daughter, Kaya.

Panettiere and Klitschko later separated, and Klitschko took primary custody of Kaya in 2018. Panettiere subsequently spoke publicly about the decision, explaining that she was dealing with alcoholism, substance abuse and postpartum depression at the time.

In a 2022 interview with PEOPLE, she revealed that she had struggled with addiction to opioids and alcohol.

“I was on top of the world, and I ruined it,” she said, describing years of addiction and recovery. “I’d think I hit rock bottom, but then there’s that trap door that opens.”

She also emphasized the work she had done to rebuild her life, saying, “I put a lot of work into myself, and I had to be willing to be incredibly honest.”

Panettiere experienced another devastating loss in 2023 when her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died at 28 from aortic valve complications associated with an enlarged heart syndrome.

In a 2024 interview with PEOPLE, she spoke about the impact of his death.

“He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him,” she said. “When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul.”

Earlier this year, Panettiere published her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. The book explored her childhood in Hollywood, relationships, addiction and recovery, motherhood, her brother’s death and other difficult experiences.

She also publicly identified as bisexual and wrote about a doctor warning her that continued alcohol use could put her life at serious risk.

In what was described as her final interview, Panettiere told parenting publication Dear Momé: “I’m a work in progress — we all are. I take each day as it comes. I’m doing the work, and I’m doing my best.”

Panettiere was born Aug. 21, 1989. She is survived by her parents and her daughter, Kaya.

Her death marks the loss of an actress who began working in Hollywood as a child and went on to become a familiar face on television and in film, while also speaking publicly about addiction, mental health, motherhood and grief.