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.
A newly released incident report states that the 911 call was made by Brian Hickerson, 37, who is referred to as Panettiere’s boyfriend. He reportedly turned over a “bag of medication” belonging to Panettiere to the police, but the contents of that bag has so far been redacted. His brother Zach Hickerson was also present on the scene. The Independent has approached police for further information.
Now, police have reportedly begun probing whether there could be criminal conduct behind her death. Officers with the Greenville Police Department were seen outside of a Hickerson family home Wednesday morning in photos first obtained by Page Six. The US Drug Enforcement Administration joined the investigation into Panettiere’s death on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the case who spoke to the New York Times.
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.
Read MoreHayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend was at apartment where she died, police report says
What parent would actually wish fame on their own child?
I interviewed Hayden Panettiere twice – and both times left me incredibly sad
Key Points
- Heroes and Nashville star Hayden Panettiere dies aged 36
- Wladimir Klitschko breaks silence over ex-fiancée's death
- DEA joins investigation into Hayden Panettiere’s death
- Police probing Panettiere's death: report
- Cops pay a visit to Panettiere's on-off boyfriend's family home
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.
Wladimir Klitschko breaks silence over ex-fiancée's death
Tuesday 18 August 2026 14:44 , Caitlin HornikIn 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”
Brian Hickerson dealt legal blow in Panettiere case days before star's death
04:15 , Caitlin HornikBrian 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.
DEA joins investigation into Hayden Panettiere’s death
04:01 , Shahana YasminThe US Drug Enforcement Administration has joined the investigation into Hayden Panettiere’s death, according to a person familiar with the case who spoke to the New York Times.
Panettiere, 36, was found in cardiac arrest at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday and could not be revived.
A person with knowledge of the investigation told the Times that an apparent drug overdose led to the cardiac arrest, although her official cause of death has not been determined.
The DEA’s involvement comes after police found Panettiere’s former boyfriend Brian Hickerson at the apartment and he showed officers a bag containing medication she had been taking. The details of those medications were redacted from the police report.
Police have said there were no signs of foul play, while toxicology results are still pending.
03:16 , Panettiere still struggled with decades-old injuriesCaitlin HornikIn her 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, Panettiere recalled being thrown from a zebra while filming the 2005 movie, Racing Stripes.
Just 14 years old at the time, Panettiere suffered damage to two vertebrae in her neck, a concussion and severe whiplash.
“I kept my mouth shut and endured the pain in my back and neck,” she wrote in her memoir.
“Over 20 years later, these injuries still bother me.”
Cops spotted at Hickerson family home days after Panettiere's death
02:41 , Caitlin HornikPolice 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
02:09 , Caitlin HornikFilmmaker 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: 'I think a lot about what my life could have been like if I did that film'
01:39 , Caitlin HornikA few years ago, during a conversation with her former agent, Hayden Panettiere discovered the truth about a situation that had always nagged at her. In 2000, when she was an 11-year-old child actor Panettiere was fired from David Fincher’s home invasion thriller Panic Room after Nicole Kidman left the project, due to an injury. Or so she was told.
In fact, Fincher had wanted Panettiere to stay on with Jodie Foster, who was replacing Kidman. But he’d asked her mother if Panettiere could cut her hair into a bob, in order to better match Foster. Panettiere’s mother refused.
“I was so out of the loop,” Panettiere recalled in an interview with The Independent in May. “And it was one of the harder things that I’ve experienced. I didn’t think it was fair. And I think a lot about what my life could have been like if I did that film. What parts could I have played? What person would I have been?”
She met Panic Room’s eventual child star, Kristen Stewart, at a friend’s birthday party days before the interview. “We talked about everything that happened, and she was so kind. I felt like, finally, I was able to get it off my chest and let it go.”
Hayden Panettiere's history with on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson
01:12 , Caitlin HornikWhen 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 was estranged from her mother, actor Lesley Vogel
Thursday 20 August 2026 00:52 , Caitlin HornikPanettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, was the young actor’s manager from the time she was an infant.
When Panettiere was 19, she asked her mom to step aside as her manager.
“I said to her, ‘I don’t want us to work together anymore. I just want you to be my mom,’” she told podcaster Jay Shetty earlier this year.
Vogel reportedly responded by telling Panettiere: “You owe me.”
Panettiere said that she believed her mother wanted money and not a relationship.
“The fact that she didn’t care to have a relationship with me was a tough pill to swallow,” the Nashville star said.
The mother and daughter were estranged at the time of Panettiere’s death.
Hayden Panettiere's history of postpartum depression
Thursday 20 August 2026 00:31 , Caitlin HornikHayden Panettiere spoke candidly about how she wishes she had known about the risk of postpartum depression after giving birth to her daughter, Kaya.
In an interview with E! News’ The Rundown, Panettiere shared how turning to alcohol to deal with postpartum depression made “everything worse”.
“I wish I knew about postpartum depression. I wish I knew to look out for it. I just thought there was something seriously wrong with me, so I thought, ‘Fireball will fix this – duh!’ and it didn’t. It does for a moment, but then it makes everything worse.”
The actor said she did not learn about postpartum depression before her pregnancy, which made the experience even more isolating.
“I wish somebody told me it’s OK if you birth your child and you’re not immediately like, ‘Oh my god, I love you more than anything in the entire world!’”
The heartbreaking family struggles that shaped Hayden Panettiere’s life off screen
Thursday 20 August 2026 00:03 , Caitlin HornikThe Heroes and Nashville star, who has tragically died aged 36, was bracingly honest about her experiences of familial estrangement, losing custody of her daughter and the depression that followed the sudden death of her younger brother, writes Katie Rosseinsky:
The heartbreaking family struggles that shaped Hayden Panettiere’s life off screen
Screen actor's union mourns Panettiere
Wednesday 19 August 2026 23:39 , Caitlin HornikSAG-AFTRA, the screen actor’s union, shared a tribute to Panettiere on social media.
“We mourn the sudden passing of Hayden Panettiere. A child actor, Hayden's long career in TV & film included memorable roles in 'Heroes,' 'Nashville' & more. Our hearts are with her daughter, family, friends & fans. #RIP. #SagAftraMember since 1994”
Hayden Panettiere said she had 'a lot of life left to live'
Wednesday 19 August 2026 23:08 , Caitlin HornikIn one of her last interviews with podcaster Jay Shetty in the months before her death, Hayden Panettiere spoke about her future with hope.
PETA praises dedicated animal advocate Hayden Panettiere: 'She was the real deal'
Wednesday 19 August 2026 22:42 , Caitlin HornikHayden Panettiere might have been known primarily for her acting, but she was also an avid animal activist, having “paddled into blood-stained waters of Taiji, Japan, to stare down dolphin hunters during their annual massacre” – a moment captured in the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove.
She also “never stopped denouncing marine parks like SeaWorld, calling their confinement of complex, far-ranging marine mammals in concrete tanks ‘disgusting’”.
PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange wrote: “Hayden Panettiere became a household name playing a hero on TV, but to animals, she was the real deal. The world has lost a kind soul and the animals a fierce ally, and everyone at PETA holds her memory close.”
Hayden Panettiere's younger brother died in 2023
Wednesday 19 August 2026 22:18 , Caitlin HornikHayden 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.
Holly Robinson Peete weighs in on Lesley Vogel's statement after daughter's death
Wednesday 19 August 2026 22:06 , Caitlin HornikActor Holly Robinson Peete weighed in on Panettiere’s mother Lesley Vogel’s comments about her daughter’s death.
Sharing an article link to Gayle King’s comments on the same topic, Peete wrote on X: “She’s not wrong. We know this young lady clearly had so many issues, but if you’re not gonna take accountability for the fact that you put her in the business that eventually messed her up then nothing you say has any integrity.
“She didn’t even say ‘I will miss my daughter’ or ‘I loved my daughter the best way I could.’ Has she even mentioned the word daughter? . There were so many things she could have said to show us that she was a caring, mother…
“And now both of her children are gone. It is all so tragic. rip Hayden”
She’s not wrong. We know this young lady clearly had so many issues, but if you’re not gonna take accountability for the fact that you put her in the business that eventually messed her up then nothing you say has any integrity.
— Holly Robinson Peete 💃🏾♍️ (@hollyrpeete) August 19, 2026
She didn’t even say “ I will miss my daughter” or… https://t.co/W1q1L0vq4Y
Gayle King responds to Panettiere's mom's comments
Wednesday 19 August 2026 21:54 , Caitlin HornikGayle King responded to comments made by Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, following the death of her daughter.
“You know, guys, you read this and all I can think is, ‘Thanks, Mom, for nothing,’” King said during Wednesday’s CBS Mornings broadcast.
King acknowledged that Panettiere spoke about her “complicated relationship with her mom,” noting that “you hear stuff like that and you realize it was still very much [a work] in progress.”
“It makes me so sad of the opportunity that you have after your daughter’s death that that’s what you choose to leave us with,” King said.
King said earlier this week that Panettiere was “clearly still struggling” in their interview three months before her death.
Carsen Holaday reports:
Gayle King says Hayden Panettiere was ‘clearly still struggling’ in last interview
Panettiere's estranged mother Lesley Vogel speaks out about her daughter's death
Wednesday 19 August 2026 21:26 , Caitlin HornikLesley 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.
A look at Panettiere's career in Hollywood
Wednesday 19 August 2026 21:07 , Caitlin HornikHayden Panettiere lent her voice and presence to dozens of films and TV shows throughout her career. Caitlin Hornik looks back:
On-screen sister pays tribute
Wednesday 19 August 2026 20:43 , Caitlin HornikBrittany 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 remembered undoubtedly for your undeniable strength and spirit.”
Luxury apartment complex issues statement to residents
Wednesday 19 August 2026 20:19 , Caitlin HornikHayden 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.
Full autopsy report could take up to 8 weeks
Wednesday 19 August 2026 20:03 , Caitlin HornikThe Greenville County Coroner’s Office told The Independent that the autopsy was completed Monday but that results were pending. However, “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.”
It could also take up to eight weeks for the autopsy report to be updated with results. Toxicology results will also take weeks, the coroner’s office confirmed.
Neutrogena stock tumbles as fans vow to boycott after Panettiere death
Wednesday 19 August 2026 19:40 , Caitlin HornikNeutrogena 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
Panettiere's 2020 statement after Brian Hickerson arrest
Wednesday 19 August 2026 19:17 , Caitlin HornikPanettiere released the following statement after the 2020 arrest of Brian Hickerson on domestic violence charges: “I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve.
“I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again.”
'Raising Helen' co-star recalls 13-year-old Panettiere lifting his spirits on set
Wednesday 19 August 2026 19:08 , Caitlin HornikJoseph Mazzello has recalled how Panettiere gave him a lift when the pair starred together in 2004’s Raising Helen.
Mazzello wrote in an Instagram post: “I was kind of at a low point in my career, having to prove myself again as a young adult, so I took a small role in the movie Raising Helen because of the legendary director Gary Marshall. The role got even smaller cause my main scene was cut out of the script for being too similar to another comedy at the time, but I still did it even though I felt kind of down about myself for it.
“My first day I was sitting alone at lunch and a 13 year old Hayden Panettiere came and sat down next to me and exclaimed, ‘What the f*** are you doing here?’ I didn’t know what she meant exactly so I stammered. She then said ‘you’re so talented and do so much amazing work, why are you doing this bit part in this movie?; The truth was because this business is tough, but that little exchange made me feel so much better about my life and career, that someone who was clearly a rising star knew me, noticed, and gave me a boost of self confidence in a moment I was severely lacking it.
“We didn’t stay in touch much. I only saw her one other time after that movie, but I always was happy every time I saw her succeed. SHE was so talented. SHE did such amazing work. I’m so sad we won’t see more of it. My heart goes out to Hayden and her family.”
Ice Princess director remembers Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg
Wednesday 19 August 2026 18:53 , Caitlin HornikTim 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.”
Hayden Panettiere was a passionate advocate of Ukraine
Wednesday 19 August 2026 18:38 , Caitlin HornikPanettiere’s daughter moved to Ukraine to live with her father, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, in 2018, when Russia had illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and separatist forces were fighting Ukrainian troops in the Donbas region.
When Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in February 2022, Klitschko, whose brother Vitalii is the mayor of Kyiv and also a former boxing champion, enlisted in the army. Kaya, the outlet reported, was not in Ukraine from the early days of the war.
Panettiere posted repeated messages of solidarity with Ukraine on Instagram in the years that followed.
“I have personally witnessed the strength of the Ukrainian people who fought so hard for their independence and have continued to passionately defend their country over the years. What Putin is doing is an absolute disgrace!,” she wrote on Instagram shortly after the invasion.
“This horrific moment in history sends a terrifying message: the message that in this day and age, in year 2022, it’s okay to violate the rights of free people and allow autocrats like Putin to take whatever they please,” she added.
Hayden Panettiere's history with on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson
Wednesday 19 August 2026 18:21 , Caitlin HornikWhen 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
I interviewed Hayden Panettiere twice – and both times left me incredibly sad
Wednesday 19 August 2026 18:09 , Caitlin HornikThe 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.
Adam White reports:
I interviewed Hayden Panettiere twice – and both times left me incredibly sad
Police probing Panettiere's death: report
Wednesday 19 August 2026 17:42 , Caitlin HornikTMZ reported Wednesday morning that police are probing whether there was criminal conduct involved in Panettiere’s death.
The Heroes star was found in cardiac arrest at a South Carolina apartment Sunday, August 16.
Her on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, gave police who arrived at the scene a “bag of medication” Panettiere was taking at the time of her death, according to a police report viewed by The Independent.
Panettiere had hired security in recent months, source says
Wednesday 19 August 2026 17:23 , Caitlin HornikAccording to The New York Times, Panettiere hired private security in March to keep her on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson away.
