Hayden Panettiere, star of TV's Heroes and the Scream franchise, has died at the age of 36. Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed the news in a statement released via an American news network, requesting privacy for the family.
Final interview resurfaces
In a sobering turn, her final interview, given just two months ago, has resurfaced. She sat down with Jay Shetty to promote her memoir, 'This Is Me: A Reckoning'. During the conversation, she spoke about her past battles with addiction, mental health, and losing her brother at a young age.
She said: “I finally feel like I have shaken off all of this darkness and this negativity. I’ve closed one door and another door is opened … I can feel all the exciting possibilities. I feel like I have a lot more life to live.”
Family statement
In the statement, Skip Panettiere said: "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 on-screen."
The circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear.
Tributes and reflections
In July, she spoke to Mome magazine, saying: “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.”
During her chat with Shetty, she also discussed her relationship with her daughter Kaya, who lives with her father, former world champion boxer Vladimir Klitschko, in Ukraine. Panettiere said: "I mean, the idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking. Couldn't be farther from the truth."
She added: "I think a misconception is that I have been, in the past, forced into treatment when, in fact, I have been the one who has sought it out."
Despite the physical separation, Panettiere explained that she and Kaya maintained a strong bond through visits and FaceTime calls. She said: "I have an incredible relationship with her. I go travel as much as I can. I see her. I do spend a lot of time on FaceTime with her, but we talk about really deep things. We have a really intense, incredible bond and I'm very grateful for that."
She added: "I know that she knows that she has two parents that would do anything in the world to make sure that she is happy and healthy, mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually. She in no way feels abandoned and that's something that I've made sure to stay on top of and be very aware of."
