Hayden Panettiere death latest: Boyfriend Brian Hickerson issues first statement since Heroes actor died

Hayden Panettiere, who became a household name as a teenager for her role in Heroes and later starred in Nashville and multiple Scream films, has died at age 36.

Panettiere was pronounced dead at a South Carolina apartment Sunday, August 16. A cause of death has not been revealed, but an autopsy showed no signs of trauma. Toxicology reports are pending and could take up to 12 weeks, according to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.

An investigation is reportedly being conducted into Panettiere’s death involving Greenville police as well as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration after an incident report stated that her on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, turned over a “bag of medication” to police.

Hickerson has now broken his silence with a statement sent through his lawyer, Sloan Ellis, and told ABC News: “Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed.” He added that “police confirmed there were no signs of foul play” and said there would be “no further comment” out of respect for Panettiere’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation.

Panettiere was best-known for playing Sheryl Yoast in the 2000 Denzel Washington-led film Remember the Titans, high school cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s sci-fi drama Heroes (2006-2010), and aspiring country singer Juliette Barnes on the hit TV series Nashville (2012-2018).

Her New York Times bestselling memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, was published in May this year, in which she looked back at her childhood in Hollywood and her experiences with addiction, postpartum depression (which she claimed cost her a sponsorship with skincare brand Neutrogena), abusive relationships, and the loss of custody of her daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with former heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

Read More

I interviewed Hayden Panettiere twice – and both times left me incredibly sad

Hayden Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson was with her when she died. Their history is complicated

Hayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend was at apartment where she died, police report says

Neutrogena breaks silence following backlash after Hayden Panettiere’s death

Key Points

• Hayden Panettiere dead: Heroes and Nashville star dies aged 36
• DEA joins investigation into Hayden Panettiere’s death
• Neutrogena issues apology after backlash
• Brian Hickerson breaks statement through lawyers
• Wladimir Klitschko breaks silence over ex-fiancée's death

Wladimir Klitschko breaks silence over ex-fiancée's death

Tuesday 18 August 2026 14:44 , Caitlin Hornik

In an Instagram post, Wladimir Klitschko wrote: “Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief.

“The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.

“She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives.

“To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.

“I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden’s parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today. Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.

“I ask everyone to please respect our family’s feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time. For now, this is all I wish to say.

“Thank you to everyone who is supporting my family and expressing their sincere condolences.

“Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace. #WeLoveYouHayden”

Ice Princess director recalls Hayden Panettiere as ‘plucky and determined’

05:21 , Shahana Yasmin

Ice Princess director Tim Fywell has paid tribute to Hayden Panettiere, recalling the actor’s dedication while making the 2005 Disney film alongside Michelle Trachtenberg.

“It was really upsetting to hear yesterday of the death of Hayden Panettiere at the age of 36,” Fywell said in a statement to Variety. “I remember a brave, sparky, dedicated young actress who lit up the set in rehearsals and then the screen with her vibrant talent.”

Panettiere played Gen Harwood, a talented figure skater and rival to Michelle Trachtenberg’s Casey Carlyle, a science student who discovers a passion for skating.

Fywell described the two as “an amazing pair”, remembering Panettiere as “plucky and determined and perfectionist” who spent hours practising her skating and was “utterly focused on getting every acting take spot-on and truthful”.

“In what was often a tough and technically complicated shoot, and my first Hollywood movie, they were delightful to work with and great to have around,” he said. “I remember them both with huge affection, how they were 20 odd years ago, at that relatively uncomplicated time of their lives, two shining talents, gone far too soon.”

‘We made her feel unsupported’: Neutrogena responds after Hayden Panettiere’s death

05:10 , Shahana Yasmin

Neutrogena has addressed criticism over its treatment of Hayden Panettiere, saying it understands that the actor felt “unsupported” during a difficult period in her life.

The skincare brand said in a statement on Thursday: “We are deeply saddened by Hayden Panettiere’s passing. For more than a decade, Hayden was a valued member of our Neutrogena community.”

“We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time,” it continued. “This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be.”

Neutrogena vowed to make a “significant investment to a long-standing community health partner” to support women’s health causes and promised to share more details “when plans are in place.”

Panettiere wrote in her memoir that Neutrogena cancelled her long-standing contract in 2015 after she spoke publicly about her postpartum depression. In a May interview with Jay Shetty, she said: “Of all the things that they would fire me over, this is the last thing that I thought they would ever fire me for.”

Ice Princess director remembers Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg

04:50 , Caitlin Hornik

Tim Fywell, who directed Disney’s beloved 2005 ice skating movie Ice Princess, has reflected on the tragic fact that both of the film’s star have now died prematurely.

The death of Panettiere follows that of Michelle Trachtenberg, who died last year at the age of 39.

In a statement to Variety, Fywell said: “It was really upsetting to hear yesterday of the death of Hayden Panettiere at the age of 36. I remember a brave, sparky, dedicated young actress who lit up the set in rehearsals and then the screen with her vibrant talent. Michelle Trachtenberg, Hayden’s co-star in the movie, and she were an amazing pair.”

Fywell added that the pair had “very different personalities.” While Trachtenberg was “kooky, fun, with an infectious laugh and her brilliant sad-funny comic timing,” Panettiere was “plucky and determined and perfectionist, spending hours practicing her skating and utterly focused on getting every acting take spot-on and truthful. Which she did.”

Fywell concluded: “In what was often a tough and technically complicated shoot, and my first Hollywood movie, they were delightful to work with and great to have around. I remember them both with huge affection, how they were 20 odd years ago, at that relatively uncomplicated time of their lives, two shining talents, gone far too soon.”

Disney fans remember beloved film after Hayden Panettiere dies a year on from co-star

Director says Hayden Panettiere was ‘fighting to stay sober’ before her death

04:30 , Shahana Yasmin

Director Griff Furst has claimed Hayden Panettiere was “fighting to stay sober” while filming his 2025 movie A Breed Apart and he was asked to participate in an intervention.

“I was rooting for Hayden to beat the addiction that she spoke about openly and publicly,” Furst said in an Instagram video. He added that “no matter how certain you are that an actor or crew member is in a bad situation”, a producer or director can’t do much besides adjusting the schedule or getting a handler “to make sure that that individual is being taken care of as best as they can”.

He said he remained in contact with Panettiere’s team during filming, which led to him being asked to join the proposed intervention.

“I was asked to participate, and I said yes,” Furst claimed. “That intervention did not happen, at least not that I am aware of. I wasn’t leading the charge on it. It wouldn’t have been appropriate for me.”

Furst previously said Panettiere was accompanied by her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson on the set and that she “deserved better company” around her.

Hayden Panettiere’s mother says they were estranged because of ‘a toxic individual’

04:15 , Shahana Yasmin

Hayden Panettiere’s mother Lesley Vogel has said her estrangement from her daughter “was not for lack of care or love”, but blamed “the involvement of a toxic individual who I believe led to her death”.

In a statement to Entertainment Tonight, Vogel said Panettiere “unfortunately became involved with the wrong person” and that her family had tried to remove the person from her life.

“Although my daughter and I were estranged, it was not for lack of care or love,” Vogel said. “Hayden was a beautiful and talented young woman who unfortunately became involved with the wrong person, and although her family tried to extricate him from her life, we were unable to be successful.”

Vogel did not name Brian Hickerson in her latest statement, but she previously identified him, telling NBC News: “This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death and that was Brian Hickerson.”

Hickerson has denied involvement in her death through his lawyer, who said police had found no signs of foul play and that the investigation remains ongoing.

Hayden Panettiere's father’s statement in full

04:05 , Caitlin Hornik

Alan “Skip” Panettiere issued the following statement to ABC News regarding the death of his daughter, Hayden Panettiere.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” the statement said.

“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.”

He then asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”

Hayden Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson breaks silence

04:00 , Shahana Yasmin

Brian Hickerson has broken his silence following Hayden Panettiere’s death, issuing his first statement through his lawyer, Sloan Ellis.

“Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Ellis said in a statement to TMZ. “As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.”

The statement added: “Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”

Hickerson, who had an on-and-off relationship with Panettiere, was at the apartment when Panettiere was found unresponsive on Sunday, along with his brother Zach. He showed responding officers a bag of medication Panettiere had been taking, while authorities later said an autopsy found no signs of trauma.

The DEA has since joined the investigation, and Panettiere’s cause and manner of death remain pending.

Hickerson also has a history of domestic violence against Panettiere and pleaded no contest to two felony charges involving her in 2021.

Hayden Panettiere's cause of death remains unclear

03:05 , Caitlin Hornik

Police in Greenville, South Carolina, said officers “responded to a report of an unresponsive female” at around 1:50 pm ET on Sunday (August 16). She was pronounced dead at the scene.

A cause of death has not been revealed, but an autopsy showed no signs of trauma. An investigation is ongoing.

Wladimir Klitschko 'deeply saddened' over ex-fiancée Hayden Panettiere's death

02:05 , Caitlin Hornik

Former world heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko has shared a statement on the death of his ex-fiancée Hayden Panettiere, with whom he has a daughter.

He wrote underneath a family photo: “Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief…

‘The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya…

“She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives…

“To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was…

He extended his “deepest condolences to Hayden’s parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today”, adding: “Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon…

‘I ask everyone to please respect our family’s feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time. For now, this is all I wish to say… Thank you to everyone who is supporting my family and expressing their sincere condolences…”

Hayden Panettiere's younger brother died in 2023

01:05 , Caitlin Hornik

Hayden Panettiere’s younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 at the age of 28 due to complications with his heart.

Jansen had an undiagnosed enlarged heart, as well as aortic valve complications.

His sudden death was extremely painful for Hayden, who told People in 2024: He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him.”

“When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul,” she said.

Hayden Panettiere's personal career highlight

Friday 21 August 2026 00:05 , Caitlin Hornik

Hayden Panettiere said the 2000 film Remember the Titans was her favorite to shoot.

“This movie was my favorite movie to film, what an incredible time in my life,” she told Entertainment Weekly in 2013.

In the Denzel Washington film, she played Sheryl Yoast, the daughter of assistant high school football coach Bill Yoast, played by Will Patton.

“That's just pure me that look. That is like from, oh my gosh - I mean, I was 10 years old. I had such cute boys around me, I was surrounded by the cutest boys. Kate Bosworth was like my big sister, was close to everyone,” she continued.

“I mean, you have no idea how many times in my life I have wished and prayed - if I had wished to go back to any time in my life, it would be going back to Remember the Titans.”

Hayden Panettiere's mother speaks again after backlash over initial comments

Thursday 20 August 2026 23:31 , Caitlin Hornik

Panettiere’s estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, spoke out again following the backlash over her initial statement regarding her daughter’s death.

In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, Vogel said: “Although my daughter and I were estranged, it was not for lack of care or love. It was due to the involvement of a toxic individual who I believe led to her death.

“Hayden was a beautiful and talented young woman who unfortunately became involved with the wrong person, and although her family tried to extricate him from her life, we were unable to be successful,” she continued.

“I hope all remember Hayden for the beautiful human being inside her and her gift to the world from her time on this earth,” she said. “My heart is with you, Hayden. Mama.”

Hayden Panettiere's former director spoke about working with late star

Thursday 20 August 2026 23:05 , Caitlin Hornik

Griff Furst directed Panettiere in A Breed Apart, which was released in May 2025.

He posted a video Wednesday speaking about his experience working with the star and rooting for her to “beat the addiction that she spoke about openly and publicly herself.”

“A producer or director, no matter how certain you are that an actor or crew member is in a bad situation, you don’t have the proof, or the benefit of the time to verify it,” Furst said.

“You can adjust the schedule, you can collect internal reporting and you can assign a handler to make sure that that individual is being taken care of as best as they can.”

Furst added that after filming wrapped, he kept in touch with Panettiere’s team and “what eventually got determined was that she might need an intervention and I got asked to participate.”

“I said yes, and that intervention did not happen, at least not that I’m aware of, and I wasn’t leading the charge on that and it wouldn’t have been appropriate for me,” Furst added.

Furst also spoke about Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, who joined her on set while filming and who was also with her when she died despite their turbulent relationship.

“All I know about that is what we observed and wrote down at the time that it happened, with her boyfriend Brian Hickerson,” Furst said. “I wasn’t in South Carolina, I don’t know what happened, but what I will say is my opinion, and it’s about what I saw on my own set, somebody fighting to stay sober and who deserved better company around them than what I observed … I was very lucky to work with Hayden. I wish she was still here.”

Panettiere's estranged mother claims narcotics investigator has joined investigation

Thursday 20 August 2026 22:05 , Caitlin Hornik

Speaking Wednesday to NBC News, Vogel claimed that a narcotics investigator has joined the investigation into Panettiere’s death.

It was also reported Wednesday that the U.S. DEA has joined Greenville, South Carolina police in investigating.

Neutrogena breaks silence after backlash

Thursday 20 August 2026 21:52 , Caitlin Hornik

Panettiere was found dead Sunday at age 36, prompting the actor’s previous comments about how she was “fired” from being the face of the brand for speaking out about her postpartum depression to resurface

“We are deeply saddened by Hayden Panettiere’s passing,” the company said in a statement posted to its social media accounts. “For more than a decade, Hayden was a valued member of our Neutrogena community.”

“We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time. This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be,” the statement continued.

Hayden Panettiere’s mom slammed over ‘unseemly’ comments on daughter’s death

Thursday 20 August 2026 21:46 , Caitlin Hornik

Several celebrities have responded to comments made by Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, following the death of her daughter.

The Heroes star openly spoke about her strained relationship with her mother, who was Panettiere’s manager when she rose to fame as a child star. The two were estranged at the time of Panettiere’s death, and the actor had told podcaster Jay Shetty in May that Vogel “didn’t care to have a relationship with me.”

Speaking to NBC News following Panettiere’s death, Vogel said: “I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry - it is a struggle and it's a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.

Several celebrities, including Gayle King and Holly Robinson Peete, have since addressed Vogel’s comments. Read on:

Hayden Panettiere’s mom slammed over ‘unseemly’ comments on daughter’s death

Neutrogena stock tumbles as fans vow to boycott after Panettiere death

Thursday 20 August 2026 21:15 , Caitlin Hornik

Neutrogena is facing a boycott and swarms of social media backlash over a story from Panettiere that has resurfaced after her sudden death at 36.

In the months before her death, Panettiere spoke about the skincare brand ending her contract after 10 years following her comments about mental health made on live TV.

Now, the renewed backlash against Neutrogena and calls for a boycott have affected the brand’s stock. The New York Post reported Tuesday that stock prices for Kenvue Inc. — Neutrogena’s parent company which also owns Tylenol, Band-Aid and Aveeno — fell over two percent Monday due. The stock appeared to have begun recovering by Wednesday morning.

Carsen Holaday reports:

Neutrogena stock tumbles as fans vow to boycott after Hayden Panettiere death

Brian Hickerson dealt legal blow in Panettiere case days before star's death

Thursday 20 August 2026 21:06 , Caitlin Hornik

Brian Hickerson, Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend, was denied a request to expunge and downgrade his previous felony charges to misdemeanors days before the Heroes star’s death.

The charges stemmed from several alleged incidents involving Panettiere between May 2019 and January 2020.

Following his July 2020 arrest, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend. He was hit with an eight-count criminal indictment in April 2021.

Hickerson was sentenced to 45 days in jail in 2021, along with four years of probation, 52 mandatory domestic violence classes, and a five-year restraining order.

Page Six reported that Hickerson’s request was denied during an August 13 court hearing, despite arguing that the terms of his probation had been met. Hickerson previously made the same request in July 2025, which was also denied.

Hickerson was with Panettiere at the time of her death.

Cops spotted at Hickerson family home days after Panettiere's death

Thursday 20 August 2026 20:58 , Caitlin Hornik

Police have been spotted at a Hickerson family residence about five miles from where Panettiere died Sunday.

Her on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach were both with her when she died.

Now, Page Six reported Wednesday that cops were seen outside a home belonging to the Hickerson brothers’ grandmother.

A pair of officers were seen around 8:20 a.m. ET knocking on front and side doors of the residence. They returned about 90 minutes later to “conduct a welfare check,” the outlet reported.

However, it was not clear who the intended target of the welfare check was.

The Independent has contacted the Greenville Police Department for more information.

Filmmaker recalls Panettiere's on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson being on movie set

Thursday 20 August 2026 20:47 , Caitlin Hornik

Filmmaker Griff Furst worked with Panettiere on A Breed Apart, which was released in theaters in May 2025.

In an Instagram video shared August 17, Furst recalled Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson being on set.

“I had met Hayden about 10 years before that and I knew that she was insanely talented, so when she signed on to do this picture that we were shooting, I was psyched. I really wanted to work with her. So I’m on set, and I get word from the movie’s security team who picked her up from the airport that something was off,” Furst said in the video.

“I didn’t think much about it, and so I left set and I walked over to greet her and her boyfriend Brian. He opened the door. Hayden was incredibly sweet and gracious and excited to work, but she was not okay,” he continued.

“I’m not going to get into the details of why that was, but having worked on over 100 movies and seeing just about everything, it was pretty clear that she wasn’t okay and the energy in her room was pretty dark.”

Hayden Panettiere's history with on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson

Thursday 20 August 2026 20:34 , Caitlin Hornik

When Hayden Panettiere died on Sunday, the 36-year-old Heroes and Nashville star was in South Carolina with an on-and-off boyfriend she’d once described as her “abuser.”

Here is what we know about Hickerson:

Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend was there when she died. Their history is complicated

Panettiere's estranged mother Lesley Vogel speaks out about her daughter's death

Thursday 20 August 2026 20:21 , Caitlin Hornik

Lesley Vogel took aim at Brian Hickerson in her first public comments since the death of her estranged daughter, Hayden Panettiere, telling NBC News:

“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson.”

She added: “I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry - it is a struggle and it's a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.

“I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way, and I wish it were different. I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”

She concluded: “I just feel that she’s with her brother and they’re at peace.” Panettiere’s younger brother Jansen died unexpectedly in 2023 at the age of 28.

Who is Brian Hickerson?

Thursday 20 August 2026 20:11 , Caitlin Hornik

Brian Hickerson, who was listed as Panettiere’s boyfriend in the incident report related to her death, had a long and complicated history with the star.

The pair reportedly dated on-and-off from 2018. In 2020, Hickerson was arrested on multiple felony charges, including two charges of assault stemming from two allegedly abusive incidents from May 2019 to January 2020.

He pleaded no contest to two felony counts in 2021 and was sentenced to 45 days in jail.

In 2023, Panettiere opened up about her ongoing relationship with him:

Hayden Panettiere talks relationship with ex Brian Hickerson after arrest

Incident report confirms Brian Hickerson and brother called police

Thursday 20 August 2026 20:02 , Caitlin Hornik

Police in Greenville, South Carolina, have released an incident report revealing further details about the circumstances of Panettiere’s death.

As local station WYFF4 reports, Panettiere died in an apartment at Judson Mill Lofts on Easley Bridge Road.

Brian Hickerson, 37, who is referred to as Panettiere’s boyfriend, was also present at the apartment with his brother, Zach.

According to the report, the men say they made the 911 call.

The report also states that Brian turned over a bag of Panettiere’s medications, but the list of those medications was redacted.

Brian Hickerson breaks silence through lawyers

Thursday 20 August 2026 19:47 , Caitlin Hornik

Hickerson, who was present at the time of Panettiere’s death along with his brother, Zach, released a statement via his lawyer.

Sloan Ellis from the Ellis Hinton law firm told TMZ: “Hayden's death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed.

“As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.

“Out of respect for Hayden's loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”

I interviewed Hayden Panettiere twice – and both times left me incredibly sad

Thursday 20 August 2026 19:19 , Caitlin Hornik

The ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ star, who has died at the age of 36, was grief-stricken, traumatized, and – despite promoting a memoir she described as ‘brutally honest’ – seemed not entirely ready to discuss her very difficult past in the press.

I interviewed Hayden Panettiere twice – and both times left me incredibly sad