Hayden Panettiere, Star of Heroes and Nashville, Dies at 36 in South Carolina

Hayden Panettiere dies at 36, her father confirmed in a statement issued Sunday night, bringing to a close a life that began in front of cameras before she could walk and ended with the actor speaking publicly and unflinchingly about her struggles.

Her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement provided through her representative that the family shares the news of her passing with profound sadness.

What Authorities Have Said

The Greenville Police Department in South Carolina reported that officers, accompanied by EMS personnel, responded to a report of an unresponsive female at approximately 1:50 p.m. Sunday.

Medical assistance was administered upon arrival, but the individual, later identified as Panettiere, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The department stated that the case is under investigation jointly with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. Officials noted that the preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances, and that an acquaintance of Panettiere placed the 911 call.

No cause or manner of death has been released. Her publicist, Kasey Kitchen, confirmed an ongoing investigation and said more information was expected to follow.

A Career That Started in Infancy

Panettiere was born and raised in Palisades, New York, roughly 40 miles north of New York City.

According to her Television Academy biography, she began working at 11 months old, appearing in television commercials before she could speak a line.

By age four she was performing on soap operas, including “One Life to Live” and “Guiding Light.” Her voice appeared in the animated feature “A Bug’s Life,” and she went on to film roles including “Remember the Titans” and “Bring It On: All or Nothing.”

The Roles That Defined Her

Two television characters brought her the widest recognition.

She played Claire Bennet on “Heroes” during the 2000s, a role that placed her at the centre of one of the era’s most discussed genre series.

Later came Juliette Barnes on “Nashville,” a performance many consider her most impactful work. The show ran six seasons before concluding in 2018, the same year she sold her home in the city that gave the series its name.

Speaking Openly About What Came After

Earlier this year, Panettiere disclosed that she had struggled with postpartum depression and addiction, and that those struggles led to her decision in 2018 to give up custody of her only child.

Her daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, was born to Panettiere and her former partner Wladimir Klitschko, the Ukrainian professional boxer.

In a tearful interview on the “Jay Shetty Podcast” in May, she connected the two experiences directly. The anxiety and panic attacks that emerged after childbirth, she said, were what drove her toward substances.

She described how sharply reality diverged from expectation. She had carried a beautiful plan in her head, she said, and then after her daughter arrived she knew something was terribly wrong. She was miserable and in tears constantly. Alcohol calmed her nervous system temporarily, she explained, but as a depressant it ultimately made everything worse rather than better.

The filming of “Nashville” overlapped with that period, and she said the combination of new motherhood, postpartum depression and professional demands became more than she could carry.

Hope for a Future Reunion

Despite the separation from her daughter, Panettiere spoke about maintaining a connection and about what she hoped would come.

She said she would always want her daughter with her and always missed her, wishing she could have her arms around her, but acknowledged that life did not allow for that at the moment.

She expressed faith that her daughter would come to her eventually, and that they would build a relationship, bond and friendship of a kind many parents never achieve with their children.

A Recent Memoir

Panettiere had recently published a memoir titled “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” a book that generated significant coverage for its candour, including revelations about her past relationships.

Grief She Had Already Carried

The loss arrives less than three years after another devastating blow to the family. Her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died unexpectedly from an undiagnosed heart condition.

Speaking to NBC’s “TODAY” show in 2024, she described what that loss did to her. When you lose someone who stood beside you at every important moment of your life, she said, it simply rocks your world.

Tributes From the Industry

SAG-AFTRA, the screen actors’ union that had counted Panettiere as a member since 1994, said it joins in mourning her sudden passing and directed its sympathies to her daughter, family, friends and fans.

Viola Davis, who appeared with her in the 2016 film “Custody,” posted a tribute on Instagram praising her talent. Davis wrote that she wished the world had more time with her because she felt a burning curiosity about who Panettiere was becoming, describing her as a phoenix rising from the ashes. Her tests became her testimony, Davis said, and her testimony became her legacy.

Emme Ryland, who worked with her on “Bring It On: All or Nothing,” responded on Instagram calling the news very sad and wishing peace to a sweet soul.

Work Beyond the Screen

Panettiere devoted considerable energy to ocean conservation. She served as a spokesperson for the Whaleman Foundation, appeared in “The Cove,” the Oscar-winning 2010 documentary about dolphin slaughter, and received the Genesis Wyler Award from the Humane Society.

Her father described her as an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to those who knew her and to the millions who watched her on screen.

This article discusses mental health struggles and addiction, which can be difficult subjects. Anyone struggling or in emotional distress can call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org, to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available around the clock.