Heroes and Nashville actress Hayden Panettiere has died aged 36
There were “no signs of foul play” in the sudden death of Heroes and Nashville star Hayden Panettiere, police revealed on Sunday (August 16).
The actress, aged 36, was found “unresponsive” inside her South Carolina apartment after a frantic 911 call from an acquaintance on Sunday afternoon. A statement from Greenville police department said: “On August 16, 2026, at approximately 1.51pm, officers from the Greenville police department, accompanied by EMS personnel, responded to a report of an unresponsive female at Judson Mill Lofts, located at 701 Easley Bridge Road.
“Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
“The case is under investigation by the Greenville police department in conjunction with the Greenville county coroner’s office. The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms Panettiere placed the 911 call.”
A representative for the actress confirmed the news, stating that her family would cherish her memory as an “incredible light” who brought “immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her”.
A statement from Panettiere’s father Skip 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 onscreen”. Her father also requested that the family be afforded privacy as they “take time to process this unimaginable loss”.
The 36 year old started acting as a youngster, featuring in soap operas before achieving broader recognition for her part 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 subsequently rose to prominence portraying cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before moving on to star as aspiring country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on the popular TV series Nashville.
Her work in Nashville secured her two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress, while her vocal performances on the programme resulted in 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
Panettiere’s film work includes 2006’s Bring It On: All Or Nothing, comedy-drama Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.
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After her swift ascent to stardom, the demands of the industry started to take their toll on Panettiere – with the actress having previously disclosed that she battled with addiction throughout her 20s. Earlier this year, Panettiere released a memoir in which she candidly addressed her battles with mental health, the devastating loss of her younger brother Jansen, and her choice to hand full custody of her daughter Kaya to her former partner, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, in 2018.
“The idea that anyone would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking and couldn’t be further from the truth,” she told podcaster Jay Shetty following the publication of her memoir in May.
Panettiere revealed that her daughter had been living with her father on a full-time basis from an early age, as the actress continued to grapple with addiction and mental health difficulties.
She said: “I was struggling with mental health and anxiety, and the postpartum and having to act my way through it and just feeling like I completely lost myself.”
