Hayden Panettiere, star of Heroes, was moved to tears during what has become her final podcast appearance before her death, as she opened up about her struggles. Tributes have been pouring in for the late actress following the announcement of her passing at the age of 36 on August 16.
Her father 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 on screen."
Final podcast appearance in May
In May, the American actress featured on Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast, where she candidly discussed her over three-decade-long career in the limelight, including the personal struggles that defined her adulthood, as well as the burden of dealing with her trauma both privately and publicly.
During the same discussion, Hayden also emotionally talked about entering a more positive phase in her life and looking forward with renewed hope. She revealed: "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."
Grief for brother Jansen
Towards the end of her heartfelt chat with Jay, the actress wiped away tears as she spoke about the death of her brother Jansen. Jansen was only 28 years old when he died from complications related to an aortic valve and an undiagnosed enlarged heart in 2023.
Discussing her tragic loss, she confided in the podcast host: "We were so close, especially being the older sibling it's your job to protect them and keep them safe and not being able to, I mean, heartbreaking doesn't even begin to cover it."
She continued: "I would need a dictionary to go through all the words for all the feelings that go through your mind, but, I mean, I collapsed and it's stayed with me. I know time is the best healer generally, but it's been three years and every year it's gotten... it's changed, the heartbreak has changed, but losing him and realising how much of life I was going to have to go through alone and without him, where I always saw him as being there..." she shared before adding: "The day that my parents are not here anymore, I'm going to have to do it alone."
"The fact that he's not here to be a part of my daughter's life and the fact that he's... there's so many times I want to call him, all the time, and he was my best, best, friend," Hayden added. The actress became visibly more emotional as she went on: "When he first died, I remember screaming, 'I don't want to live in a world where he doesn't exist'," before adding that "he seemed to alive" in her mind still.
Family life
Hayden welcomed her daughter Kaya in December 2014 with her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she had an on-and-off relationship between 2009 and 2018.
