Hayden Panettiere, ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ Star, Dies at 36

Actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise, has died at the age of 36. Her family confirmed her death through a representative, who described her as “an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy” to those who knew her and watched her work. No cause of death has been disclosed, and reports say the circumstances are under investigation.

Panettiere’s death comes months after the release of her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in May. The book addressed deeply personal experiences, including postpartum depression, addiction and recovery, trauma and domestic abuse. She also wrote about the death of her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, who died at 28 in 2023.

In a recent interview connected to her discussions about postpartum depression and parenting, Panettiere described herself as a “warrior” and said she had endured more trauma than she ever expected but remained resilient.

Panettiere became widely known as Claire Bennet on NBC’s superhero drama Heroes, playing a cheerleader with the ability to rapidly heal from injuries. She appeared in 73 episodes of the series between 2006 and 2010. She later took on the role of country singer Juliette Barnes on Nashville, appearing in all 124 episodes of the series from 2012 to 2018. Her performance earned her Golden Globe nominations in 2013 and 2014.

Her film career included the Scream franchise, where she played Kirby Reed in Scream 4 in 2011 and returned to the character in Scream VI in 2023. Her other credits included Remember the Titans, Racing Stripes, The Object of My Affection, Joe Somebody, Ice Princess, Shanghai Kiss, I Love You, Beth Cooper, The Forger and the television film Amanda Knox, in which she portrayed Amanda Knox.

Panettiere began working professionally as a child, making her screen debut in 1994 as Sarah Roberts on ABC’s daytime drama One Life to Live. She appeared in 27 episodes through 1997 before taking a recurring role as Lizzie Spaulding on CBS’s Guiding Light, where she appeared in 47 episodes from 1997 to 2000.

Her early credits also included Ally McBeal and Malcolm in the Middle. She provided the voice of Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life and Suri in Dinosaur. In 2015, she also provided performance capture and the voice of Samantha for the horror video game Until Dawn, returning to the role for its 2024 release.

Panettiere received two Golden Globe nominations for her work on Nashville, and her career ultimately encompassed more than 70 screen roles. Her final projects included the action horror film A Breed Apart in 2025 and the psychological thriller Sleepwalker, released in 2026.

Born Hayden Leslie Panettiere on August 21, 1989, in Palisades, New York, she is survived by her daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.