Actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died aged 36. A representative confirmed her death to ABC News on Sunday, saying she brought 'immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her'.
Family Statement
A statement from her father Skip said: 'It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden.' He added: '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.'
He also asked that her family be given privacy as they 'take time to process this unimaginable loss.' Her cause of death has not been announced. She leaves behind an 11-year-old daughter.
Career Highlights
Panettiere began acting as a child and appeared in soap operas before gaining wider recognition for her role in the 2000 sports drama Remember The Titans alongside Denzel Washington, and as the voice of Dot in 1998's A Bug's Life.
She later found fame playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before going on to star as country singer Juliette Barnes in the hit TV series Nashville. Panettiere also appeared in the Scream franchise as Kirby Reed, and lent her voice to the video game Until Dawn.
Personal Life and Legacy
Her brother, Jensen, passed away in February 2023 from 'an enlarged heart' aged 28. Earlier this year, Panettiere released her memoirs This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she discussed her experiences with postpartum depression, addiction and recovery.
This led to her decision to give up custody of her only child Kaya in 2018, who she shares with her former partner Wladimir Klitschko, the Ukrainian professional boxer.
