Hayden Panettiere, star of ‘Nashville’ and ‘Heroes,’ dies at 36, reports says
Actor Hayden Panettiere has died at age 36, according to reports.
Few details had been released as of publication time Sunday night, but ABC News was the first to report that Panettiere’s representative confirmed she had died.
People, CNN, Fox News, and several other outlets on Sunday night also reported that a representative had confirmed that Panettiere had died and that the representative had released a statement from the actress’ father, Skip Panettiere.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. 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,” Skip Panettiere said, according to ABC News, which also reported that her father said the family was asking for privacy as they take “time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Neither a cause nor a manner of death have been released.
Related video above: Remembering those we lost in 2026
Panettiere was known for her roles in television shows like “Nashville,” and “Heroes,” as well as film roles such as Beth Cooper in “I Love You, Beth Cooper,” and Kirby Reed in “Scream 4.”
Panettiere had a prolific career dating to 1996, and her credits included the voice of Dot in “A Bug’s Life,” and “Remember the Titans.” Her role as a cheerleader with superpowers in “Heroes” propelled her to fame, with the series revolving around the mantra “Save the cheerleader, save the world.” She was also known for her roles in TV’s “Nashville,” for playing Beth Cooper in the movie “I Love You, Beth Cooper,” and for several other roles.
The Associated Press and CNN report that she had been open about her struggles with alcohol addiction and depression, including after the birth of her daughter in 2014. In a memoir published this year, titled “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” she wrote about her decision to give full custody of her daughter to her former partner, boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
“I could relate to a lot of those storylines like the alcoholism and postpartum depression. They hit close to home,” she told People Magazine in 2022.
Panettiere told the magazine that, at one point, she was hospitalized with jaundice and doctors told her that her liver was “going to give out.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
____
The Associated Press and CNN contributed to this report
