Heroes and Nashville star Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36, her father confirmed Sunday night. She was pronounced dead at the scene in Greenville, South Carolina.
Skip Panettiere, announced her daughter’s death in a statement released through her representative. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” he said.
Panettiere’s publicist, Kasey Kitchen said an investigation was ongoing, adding that more information was expected as they are available. “There’s an investigation ongoing,” Kitchen said. “We should know more tomorrow.”
Greenville police said officers and emergency medical personnel responded to a report made by an acquaintance of the actor via 911 at around 1:50 p.m. Upon their arrival at the scene, they found an unresponsive woman. Medical assistance was administered, but the Hollywood star was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Greenville Police Department and the Greenville County Coroner’s Office are investigating the incident. Investigators said their initial findings did not show any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. No other details were immediately available.
She grew up in front of the cameras
Panettiere began her career as soon as she was learning to walk. Her Television Academy biography said the actor appeared in television commercials at just 11 months old and starred in soap opera roles at the age of four, including appearances on One Life to Live and Guiding Light.
She later moved into film, starring in Remember the Titans, Ice Princess, Bring It On: All or Nothing and was the voice behind the young princess ant in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life. It was television, however, that made her a byword.
She became a breakout star as cheerleader Claire Bennet on the science-fiction drama Heroes, portraying a character possessed extraordinary regenerative abilities.
The Hollywood star later took on one of her most celebrated roles on ABC’s Nashville as Juliette Barnes, a troubled country singer. She appeared throughout the show’s six-season run.
Behind the glamorous image, however, Panettiere was battling profound personal struggles.
Postpartum depression and addiction
Panettiere spoke openly in recent years about her struggles with postpartum depression, anxiety and substance abuse.
She admitted that the birth of her daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, brought an emotional crisis. Kaya was born to Panettiere and her former husband, Ukrainian boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere ultimately gave Klitschko custody of their daughter in 2018.
She said she had always dreamed of becoming a mother. But she felt something was wrong after giving birth to Kaya. “I had this beautiful plan in my head, and then I had my daughter, and I knew something was just terribly, terribly wrong,” she said.
The actress described her misery and frequently in tears, revealing about her bout with alcohol and other substances to cope with severe anxiety and panic attacks. “Even though the alcohol helped my nervous system calm down, it is a depressant, so over time it made things worse, not better,” she said.
Her struggles also affected her work on Nashville as she tried to find balance of the demands of filming with motherhood and her deteriorating mental health.
She lived apart from her daughter, but Panettiere repeatedly spoke about her love for Kaya. “I will always want her here. I always miss her,” she said with sadness.
She also expressed her hope of building an even stronger relationship with Kaya.
A turbulent life
Panettiere recently published her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. The memoir generated headlines for her candidness in revealing her relationships, addiction, motherhood, and the toll it takes to be famous. The book revealed a candid look at a young actress who had spent much of her life in the public eye.
Her death comes three years after a devastating loss in her family. In 2023, her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 28.
Hayden later spoke about the overwhelming sadness of losing her brother. “When you lose somebody that you saw in all the important moments in your life, standing right next to you, it just rocks your world,” she told NBC’s TODAY.
