Hayden Panettiere, the Hollywood actress who found fame as a child star, has died at the age of 36. She was found unresponsive in her South Carolina home on Sunday, August 18. Her father, Skip, confirmed her death in 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."
Co-Star's Memory
Among the tributes, Hayden's former Scream 4 co-star Kathryn Henzler shared a personal recollection. Henzler, who was a background actor in the Stab-A-Thon barn scene, wrote: "I want to share something about Hayden Panettiere that will forever stay with me." She described the shooting conditions as hot, dark, and buggy, yet Hayden was "nothing but nice to everyone around her, even chatting with background actors and complimenting their acting choices." Henzler added: "Super professional, supremely talented, and just a lovely person to be on set with in the not-so-great conditions. Humble, kind, gone too soon."
Other Crew Members Share Experiences
Other crew members echoed similar sentiments. One commented: "I had the same experience on the set of Nashville. I'm so sad." Another wrote: "She was very kind and friendly, even to the crew. I was a PA on Scream 4 as well. RIP Hayden." A third said: "Myself and my daughter were background on Turn Up Charlie in U.K, filmed in a dust bowl within a forest, at a festival. She was such a sweetie and so professional."
Career and Legacy
Hayden's career spanned three decades, beginning at age four. She starred in TV shows such as Heroes, Scream, and One Life to Live. At nine, she became one of the youngest-ever Grammy Award nominees for voicing Princess Dot in Pixar's A Bug's Life and its read-along album. A cause of death has yet to be confirmed. Hayden is survived by her daughter, Kaya Klitschko, and parents, Skip and Lesley Vogel.
