Hollywood star Connie Britton has paid tribute to Hayden Panettiere on what would have been her 37th birthday.
The US actress, who starred as Britton’s fierce rival in country music drama Nashville for nearly five years, died at her home in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday.
Britton was among many famous faces who paid tribute to Panettiere after her death, and said she “had no words” in a touching tribute earlier this week as she remembered her former co-star as “bursting with brilliance”.
Birthday tribute on Instagram
The Emmy-nominated actress, 59, commemorated Panettiere’s first birthday since she died in a post to her Instagram story on Friday, which included a photo of the two hugging.
“Happy birthday. You live on in the light,” she wrote.
Panettiere’s former partner, Wladimir Klitschko, also marked the occasion, and shared a lengthy tribute on social media alongside a photo of the actress as he remembered “the love she brought into this world”.
The former boxer dated the star from 2009 to 2018, and their daughter Kaya was born in 2014.
Klitschko’s message
He wrote: “Today is Hayden’s birthday.
“Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world.”
Klitschko acknowledged “the incredible outpouring of love and support” which has followed since her death, adding: “At a time filled with so much sadness, your kindness has reminded me that there is still so much good in humanity.”
He ended the post by telling his followers “love is a superpower” as he called for kindness, and said: “Happy Birthday, Hayden. You are loved, you are missed, and you will never be forgotten.”
Klitschko previously shared a tribute to Panettiere on Tuesday as he reacted to her “tragic death”, saying his family was “going through a time of profound shock and grief”.
Career and legacy
Panettiere began acting as a child, appearing 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 Pixar’s 1998 film A Bug’s Life.
Panettiere later found fame playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before going on to star as up-and-coming country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on Nashville.
Her film credits include 2006’s Bring It On: All Or Nothing, comedy-drama film Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.
Following her rapid rise to fame, the pressure of the industry began to weigh on Panettiere, with the actress previously revealing that she had battled with addiction throughout her 20s.
The actress gave Klitschko full custody of their now 11-year-old daughter in 2018 amid her struggles, which she discussed in her 2026 memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning.
