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.
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.
“An autopsy was completed today. At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,” a Monday report from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office’s stated.
Her father, Skip, confirmed Panettiere’s death in a heartbreaking statement to ABC News. Panettiere’s co-stars including Connie Britton, Tim Allen, Viola Davis and Melissa Barrera have offered heartfelt tributes to the two-time Golden Globe nominee on social media.
Among her most memorable roles were 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, abusive relationships, and the loss of custody of her daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with former heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
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Hayden Panettiere death
- Hayden Panettiere dies aged 36
- Police share statement after responding to 'incident' in South Carolina
- Heroes star's father leads tributes
- Scream co-star remembers 'sweet' actor
- Hayden Panettiere's family life, including daughter with boxer ex Klitchsko
Hayden Panettiere dead: Heroes and Nashville star dies aged 36
Monday 17 August 2026 05:06 , Shahana YasminHayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes, Nashville, and the Scream franchise, has died aged 36.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Panettiere’s father, Skip said in a statement to ABC News. “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.”
No cause of death was announced.
Disney fans remember beloved film after Hayden Panettiere dies a year on from co-star
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Disney fans remember beloved film after Hayden Panettiere dies a year on from co-star
Nashville: Hayden Panettiere's role as Juliette Barnes
05:02 , Carsen HoladayHayden Panettiere played country-pop singer Juliette Barnes on ABC drama Nashville from 2012 to 2018 alongside co-star Connie Britton.
Connie Britton says goodbye to Nashville co-star Hayden Panettiere
04:50 , Shahana YasminConnie Britton has shared a tribute to former Nashville co-star Hayden Panettiere, sharing photographs of the pair from their years on the ABC country music drama.
“This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright,” Britton wrote on Instagram. “I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now.”
Britton played country superstar Rayna Jaymes in the series, with Panettiere as the fiercely ambitious young singer Juliette Barnes. Their characters began as rivals fighting for their place in Nashville’s country music scene, but their relationship gradually became one of the show’s most important friendships.
Panettiere and Britton starred together throughout the show’s run from 2012 to 2018.
Panettiere also wrote about the changing dynamic with Britton in her memoir, admitting she became “deeply uncomfortable” when her character’s growing popularity began to rival Britton’s. “My character wasn’t intended to be the show’s star – not even close,” she wrote. “That honour went to Connie, whose Rayna Jaymes was in the twilight of her career, facing a dramatic turning point thanks to yours truly.”
Bethany Joy Lenz pays tribute to Hayden Panettiere after 26-year friendship
04:40 , Shahana YasminBethany Joy Lenz has shared a deeply personal tribute to Hayden Panettiere, recalling the actor as a child when they worked together on the soap opera Guiding Light.
“There is nothing that posting pictures on the internet can do. I avoid it usually in moments like this. But I'm here with my head in my hands and I don’t know what else to do in aside from praying for her soul, which I have done and will continue,” the One Tree Hill star wrote on Instagram.
Lenz, who was 18 when Panettiere was around nine or 10, remembered the young actor running through the Screen Gems studio in New York “laughing and playing games in between Guiding Light blocking and camera rehearsals”.
“Her intelligence was astonishing,” Lenz wrote. “She understood scenes and nuance and human struggle like no child I’d ever seen on camera.”
Lenz said they remained in touch “over the years”, comparing their relationship to “the cousin in the family reunion who got famous and life moved her away”.
“I don’t understand how this is real,” she wrote. “Everything seemed to be turning around. She was coming BACK to life, wasn’t she? It’s too young and there’s still so much more life. And her daughter…. Hayden, you are surrounded by love.”
Viola Davis mourns Hayden Panettiere as ‘a beautiful phoenix’
04:30 , Shahana YasminViola Davis mourns Hayden Panettiere as ‘a beautiful phoenix’
Viola Davis has remembered Hayden Panettiere as an “old, wise soul” with “such a deep heart” after her death at 36.
Davis and Panettiere acted together twice, first in the 2006 drama The Architect, in which Panettiere played Christina alongside Davis as activist Tonya Neeley, and later in the 2016 courtroom drama Custody. In Custody, Davis played family court judge Martha Schulman while Panettiere portrayed lawyer Ally Fisher.
“What an amazing talent you were....so gifted,” she wrote on Instagram. She added that both she and her husband, Julius Tennon, “loved working with you”.
She continued: “I wish the world had more time with you because I had a burning curiosity about who you were becoming. I saw this beautiful Phoenix rising from the ashes. Your tests became your testimony, and your testimony became your legacy. You will be remembered.
“Rest well, Hayden. Sending healing prayers to your family, your daughter, and all who loved you. May they always speak your name.”
Survived by her daughter and parents
04:20 , Carsen HoladayHayden Panettiere is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, who she shared with her ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.
She is also survived by her mother, former soap actor Lesley Vogel, and her father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere, who was a former New York City Fire Department chief.
PETA remembers Panettiere as ‘fierce ally’ for animals
04:15 , Shahana YasminPETA senior vice-president Lisa Lange said Panettiere “became a household name playing a hero on TV, but to animals, she was the real deal”.
“She fearlessly paddled into the blood-stained waters of Taiji, Japan to stare down dolphin hunters during their annual massacre,” Lange said in a statement. The actor had travelled to Taiji, Japan, in 2007 and joined other activists in a protest against the annual dolphin hunt, footage of which appeared in the Oscar-winning 2009 documentary The Cove.
In 2010, she called SeaWorld’s practice of keeping dolphins in tanks and making them perform “disgusting”, asking: “How do you put an interactive, social animal in a tub and make them do tricks?”
Lange said: “The world has lost a kind soul and the animals a fierce ally, and everyone at PETA holds her memory close.”
Alexa PenaVega mourns Hayden Panettiere and fellow child stars
04:00 , Shahana YasminSpy Kids star Alexa PenaVega has paid tribute to Hayden Panettiere, looking back on the loss of the actors who grew up in the entertainment industry alongside her.
PenaVega named Panettiere, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Daveigh Chase, whose deaths have occurred within less than two years. “Hayden, Michelle, Daveigh… my heart is heavy today,” she wrote on Instagram. “These aren’t just names from my childhood. They’re girls I grew up alongside, sharing a world that was exciting and also incredibly hard.”
She added: “We were kids navigating something so big, and not everyone had the foundation or support they deserved. Today, I’m grieving and holding their families close in my prayers and thinking of everyone still fighting battles we cannot see. Hug your people close today.”
Panettiere died aged 36 on Sunday, while Trachtenberg, 39, died in February 2025 from complications of diabetes mellitus, and Chase, 35, died in June 2026 from AIDS, with chronic polysubstance use listed as a significant contributing condition.
Days away from birthday
03:00 , Carsen HoladayHayden Panettiere was five days away from her 37th birthday when she died Sunday.
Her cause of death has not been released.
Hayden Panettiere's TV history
02:32 , Carsen HoladayAfter getting her start on ABC soap One Life to Live, Hayden Panettiere went on to act in a number of TV shows, eventually starring in hit shows Heroes and Nashville. Below is a list of TV shows she appeared on, according to her IMDb page:
- Aliens in the Family
- Unhappily Ever After
- One Life to Live
- Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke
- Touched by an Angel
- Guiding Light
- Ally McBeal
- Fillmore!
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Malcolm in the Middle
- Commander in Chief
- Skater Boys
- Robot Chicken
- Heroes
- American Dad!
- Heroes Reborn
- Nashville
'Heroes' co-star pays tribute
02:01 , Carsen HoladayDania Ramirez, who played Maya Herrera on Heroes, shared a tribute to her former co-star on Instagram.
“My heart aches so much right now,” she wrote. “I love you and will always miss you. I take comfort in knowing that I am with you in life and in death because your love and energy has always transcended this dimension.”
Ramirez added: “My thoughts are with your daughter and those who truly love you. I know that the ones that got to feel your gifts will forever feel blessed and grateful for you.”
'Scream' co-star is without words
01:33 , Carsen HoladayNico Tortorella, who played Trevor Sheldon in Scream 4, shared an Instagram post dedicated to his former co-star.
“I keep trying to write something, but there are too few words for you,” the actor said.
“I love you. I miss you. And I’m sorry. I hope you and Jan are somewhere bigger than all of this.”
Jansen Panettiere died in 2023
01:00 , Carsen HoladayHayden 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.
'Orange is the New Black' star remembers friend
Tuesday 18 August 2026 00:31 , Carsen HoladayOrange is the New Black actor Taryn Manning shared a heartfelt post remembering Hayden Panettiere on Instagram.
“This one hurts,” Manning captioned a picture of herself and Panettiere behind a DJ booth.
“Hayden was always such a sweetheart- so rad - down to earth, kind, and consistently the same every time I saw her,” she wrote. “We shared so many funny little moments over the years, and this photo brings it all back. We were in Washington, D.C., surrounded by very suited- slightly strange men, and somehow we just kept catching each other’s eyes and laughing uncontrollably at the weirdness. And then we dipped out and ate a diner.”
She continued: “That was Hayden - down to clown - easy, funny, real. Just such a dear, a rad rad human.I don’t really have words for what has happened and she is suddenly gone. I’m just grateful I got to know her and have memories like this. Tiny sweet girl.”
Ashlee Simpson shares throwback
Tuesday 18 August 2026 00:00 , Carsen HoladayAshlee Simpson shared a picture of her and Hayden Panettiere from the 2005 Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party on Instagram.
“I’m deeply saddened by the news of Hayden Panettiere’s passing,” the singer said. “Rest in peace, Hayden. You will be deeply missed.”
Heather Matarazzo and Hayden Panettiere met as children
Monday 17 August 2026 23:32 , Carsen HoladayPrincess Diaries actor Heather Matarazzo said that she is “devastated” over the loss of Hayden Panettiere as a fellow former child actor.
“We first met on the LIRR traveling to NYC for auditions when we were both kids,” she wrote on Instagram. “Every time our paths crossed, my heart always filled up. She was special. She was a Sprite of a being and such a talent. Truly a light….. Love you, Hayden.”
Alyssa Milano: 'She used her voice'
Monday 17 August 2026 23:00 , Carsen HoladayAlyssa Milano is praising Hayden Panettiere’s activism after her death.
“I keep coming back to this photograph and thinking about Hayden’s courage,” Milano wrote in an Instagram post Monday. “I hope people remember this part of her and that it doesn’t get lost in the noise, the headlines, or the flattening of public figures into story and spectacle.”
She wrote: “Long before it was common for public figures to speak out, Hayden understood something simple and difficult: visibility is not just something you are given, but something you can give away. And she gave hers, again and again, in service of things larger than herself.”
Milano mentioned Panettiere’s animal rights activism, as well as her conservation efforts.
“And perhaps most quietly powerful, she spoke openly about what so many are taught to hide: domestic violence, postpartum depression, addiction, recovery, and abuse,” Milano said. “She did not share these things for ease or attention, but because she understood what her silence could cost others.”
The actor praised Panettiere’s activism as “instinctive” and “sincere.”
“She used her voice. She showed up,” Milano said. “She cared fiercely.I hope that is remembered too, the way she chose to stand in the world when it mattered.Rest in peace, Hayden. You deserved so much more time and your courage deserves to be remembered.”
On-screen sister pays tribute
Monday 17 August 2026 22:45 , Carsen HoladayBrittany Snow, who played Hayden Panettiere’s on-screen sister in Guiding Light, remembered the late actor as a “bright shining light” on social media.
“I was lucky enough to play your sister for 3 years,” she wrote on her Instagram story.
“I related to you so much in so many ways. Ways that I never even told you. Your talent was remarkable & so was your determination to be a bold, bright shining light. And you were.”
She continued: “Always supportive, curious, funny and brave. You will always be rememebred undoubtedly for your undeniable strength and spirit.”
Luxury apartment complex issues statement to residents
Monday 17 August 2026 22:28 , Carsen HoladayHayden Panettiere was found dead Sunday at Judson Mill Lofts, a luxury apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina.
After news of her death was released, the apartment released the following statement to residents, according to the Greenville News.
“We understand that a visible emergency and law enforcement response can be unsettling, and we appreciate your patience, discretion and understanding,” the statement said.
Residents were assured that there was “no threat” to their community.
What did Hayden Panettiere say about her friendship with Diana Jenkins?
Monday 17 August 2026 22:00 , Carsen HoladayIn Hayden Panettiere’s memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, the actor spoke about her friendships in Hollywood, including one with former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Diana Jenkins.
Panettiere and Jenkins met when Panettiere, who was 20 at the time, was photographed for the 2009 coffee table book Room 23.
“Diana was almost thirty years older than me, and while I’d always been mature for my age, it’s impossible to overlook an age difference that large,” Panettiere wrote in the book.
“It was a weird friendship for sure, but as I stretched into my newfound adulthood, I had to see which relationships suited me, on my own terms. At that moment, Diana seemed like she could give me everything I needed.”
Hayden Panettiere's friend reveals her last text to him
Monday 17 August 2026 21:30 , Carsen HoladayCountry singer Clayton Johnson paid tribute to his friend Hayden Panettiere by sharing a video of them singing together on Instagram.
“Sweet Hayden,” he wrote. “I spent last night trying to process, to try to find the right words, but there really aren’t any.”
“More than anything, I hope you’re at peace now and reunited with Jansen,” he said about Panettiere’s brother, who died in 2023.
“It’s been a couple of weeks since our last phone call, but the last thing you ever texted me was, ‘Honestly, people think it’s a joke to ask for world peace, but that would be me,’” he said.
“That was you in a nutshell.I’m grateful I got to know you, and I’ll always be grateful for the memories. Fly high, Hayden.”
'Nashville' co-star Connie Britton speaks out
Monday 17 August 2026 21:15 , Carsen HoladayConnie Britton, who co-starred on Nashville with Hayden Panettiere from 2012 to 2017, broke her silence on Hayden Panettiere’s death in an Instagram post shared Monday.
“This was Hayden,” the actor said. “Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright.”
“I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now.”
Alexa Vega remembers fellow child stars
Monday 17 August 2026 21:00 , Carsen HoladaySpy Kids star Alexa Vega shared an Instagram post remembering Hayden Panettiere, Michelle Trachtenberg and Daveigh Chase after all three former child actors died in the last few years.
“Hayden, Michelle, Daveigh...my heart is heavy today,” Vega wrote. “These aren’t just names from my childhood. They’re girls I grew up alongside, sharing a world that was exciting and also incredibly hard.”
She continued: “We were kids navigating something so big, and not everyone had the foundation or support they deserved.”
“Today, I’m grieving and holding their families close in my prayers and thinking of everyone still fighting battles we can’t see. Hug your people close today.”
A look at Panettiere's career in Hollywood
Monday 17 August 2026 20:31 , Caitlin HornikHayden Panettiere lent her voice and presence to dozens of films and TV shows throughout her career. Caitlin Hornik looks back:
'Heroes' co-star is absolutely heartbroken
Monday 17 August 2026 20:18 , Caitlin HornikMasi Oka and Panettiere starred together on the NBC sci-fi series.
Oka wrote on X, “I had the privilege of working closely with her, and I’ll always remember her for her beautiful spirit, immense talent, and the joyful energy she brought to everything she did and the people around her.
“She was way wiser beyond her years and now gone too soon…”
Absolutely heartbroken to hear about Hayden. I had the privilege of working closely with her, and I’ll always remember her for her beautiful spirit, immense talent, and the joyful energy she brought to everything she did and the people around her. She was way wiser beyond her…
— Masi Oka (@MasiOka) August 17, 2026
Tim Allen is 'shocked and so sad'
Monday 17 August 2026 20:04 , Caitlin HornikAllen played Panettiere’s father in the 2001 comedy-drama Joe Somebody.
“She is a wonder,” Allen wrote on X.
I am shocked and so sad as the passing of Hayden Panettiere. She played my daughter in the movie Joe Somebody. The fondest memories of that movie were moments around her. She is a wonder and my prayers are with her family.
— Tim Allen (@ofctimallen) August 17, 2026
Panettiere opened up about her 'favorite movie to film'
Monday 17 August 2026 19:51 , Caitlin HornikSpeaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2013, Panettiere said the 2000 film Remember the Titans was her favorite.
“This movie was my favorite movie to film, what an incredible time in my life,” Panettiere said. She played Sheryl Yoast, the passionate daughter of assistant high school football coach Bill Yoast.
“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.”
