Hayden Panettier became star by age 11, was given 'happy pills' at 15 before walking Red Carpet

Hayden Panettiere, the actress known for her roles in the hit television series Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36. Her death was confirmed by her family through her publicist. No cause of death has been announced, and an investigation is ongoing. Preliminary findings have indicated no signs of foul play.

Panettiere, who would have turned 37 on August 21, began her career as a child actor, appearing in commercials and television soap operas. She rose to international fame in 2006 after being cast as cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes, whose central catchphrase was “Save the cheerleader, save the world.”

She went on to receive three Teen Choice Awards for her role in the series. Panettiere also received a Grammy nomination for a children's spoken-word album connected to the animated film A Bug's Life.


She later starred as country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville, opposite Connie Britton. The ABC series ran for four seasons before being cancelled and later revived by CMT.

Panettiere performed her own songs on Nashville, and several of her recordings from the show appeared on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. Her performance earned her two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress.

Hayden Panettiere's addiction struggle began at 15

Panettiere had previously spoken openly about her struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction. In a 2022 interview with People, she revealed that her introduction to drugs came when she was just 15 years old.

The actress said someone on her team offered her “happy pills” before red-carpet appearances because they were supposed to make her more energetic during interviews.

“They were to make me peppy during interviews,” Panettiere said.

She added that she did not understand at the time that taking the pills was inappropriate or where it could eventually lead.

Soon afterward, her acting career continued to grow. At 16, she landed the role of Claire Bennet in Heroes. Panettiere later said that being able to remain professional while working helped conceal the severity of her problems.

As she got older, however, her alcohol and opioid use became increasingly difficult to control.

“I was on top of the world and I ruined it,” she said while discussing her addiction and recovery.

Panettiere also battled postpartum depression

Panettiere's struggles intensified after the birth of her daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.

She experienced severe postpartum depression after giving birth in 2014 and later spoke about how difficult that period was for her.

The actress said she never felt that she wanted to harm her daughter, but described experiencing a profound emotional numbness and difficulty spending time with her child.

Her relationship with Klitschko also deteriorated during that period. In 2018, Panettiere made the difficult decision for Kaya to live primarily with her father.

She later described the decision as one of the hardest things she had ever done, saying she wanted to make the choice that would give her daughter the best possible care.

Panettiere sought treatment and recovery

Panettiere eventually sought professional help for her addiction. She underwent trauma therapy and inpatient treatment and spent time in rehabilitation.

She also spoke about experiencing severe physical consequences from her drinking, including hospitalization for jaundice and being warned that her liver was failing.

Her recovery was a long process, but Panettiere said treatment helped her regain control of her life.

“This hasn't been easy and there were a lot of ups and downs,” she said. “But I don't regret even the ugliest things that have happened to me. I feel incredibly accomplished. And I feel like I have a second chance.”

Her Hollywood career

Beyond Heroes and Nashville, Panettiere appeared in several well-known films and television projects.

She played the daughter of a football coach in Remember the Titans, starred in I Love You, Beth Cooper and appeared in the Scream franchise.

She also became known to video-game audiences for portraying Samantha Giddings in Until Dawn and for voicing Kairi in the Kingdom Hearts franchise.

Her career began when she was a child and continued across television, film, music and video games.

Panettiere's younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 at the age of 28 from an enlarged heart, according to his death certificate.

Hayden Panettiere is survived by her daughter, Kaya, and her parents.