Police have confirmed there were "no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances" surrounding the death of Heroes and Nashville star Hayden Panettiere. The 36-year-old actress was discovered at her residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday. Emergency services were called after an acquaintance reported that Panettiere was "unresponsive".
Police statement on the incident
Greenville police department released a statement saying: "On August 16, 2026, at approximately 1.51pm, officers from the Greenville police department, accompanied by EMS personnel, responded to a report of an unresponsive female at Judson Mill Lofts, located at 701 Easley Bridge Road."
"Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The case is under investigation by the Greenville police department in conjunction with the Greenville county coroner's office."
"The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms Panettiere placed the 911 call."
Family tribute
A spokesperson for the actress has confirmed her passing, with her family describing her as an "incredible light" who brought "immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her". Panettiere's father Skip released a statement saying: "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 has also requested that the family be afforded privacy while they "take time to process this unimaginable loss".
Career highlights
The 36-year-old started her acting career as a youngster, featuring in soap operas before achieving broader acclaim for her performance in the 2000 sports drama Remember The Titans alongside Denzel Washington, and as the voice of Dot in Pixar's 1998 film A Bug's Life.
Panettiere subsequently rose to prominence portraying cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before moving on to play aspiring country singer Juliette Barnes across six seasons of the popular television series Nashville. Her work in Nashville secured her two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress, while her vocal performances on the programme resulted in 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
Panettiere's filmography includes 2006's Bring It On: All Or Nothing, comedy-drama Raising Helen, and roles in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.
Personal struggles and memoir
After her swift ascent to stardom, the demands of the industry started to take their toll on Panettiere – with the actress having previously disclosed that she battled addiction during her twenties. Earlier this year, Panettiere released a memoir in which she candidly discussed her battles with mental health, the devastating loss of her younger brother Jansen, and her choice to hand full custody of her daughter Kaya to her former partner, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, back in 2018.
"The idea that anyone would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking and couldn't be further from the truth," she told podcaster Jay Shetty following the publication of her memoir in May. Panettiere revealed that her daughter had resided with her father on a permanent basis from an early age, as the actress grappled with addiction and mental health difficulties.
She said: "I was struggling with mental health and anxiety, and the postpartum and having to act my way through it and just feeling like I completely lost myself."
