Hayden Panettiere, star of Heroes, Nashville and Scream, dies at 36

Hayden Panettiere, American actress and the star of Heroes and Nashville, has died at 36, ABC News reported, citing her representative.

“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,” Hayden Panettiere father's Skip Panettiere, said in a statement, according to ABC News.

Skip Panettiere also asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”

Hayden Panettiere's career

Hayden Panettiere began working on screen in 1994, at five, appearing in 27 episodes of the soap opera One Life to Live. She later featured in 45 episodes of Guiding Light.

Her films included Remember the Titans in 2000, followed by Raising Helen, Ice Princess, Scream 4 and Scream VI. Hayden Panettiere became known for Heroes, before taking the role of Juliette Barnes in Nashville, earning her two Golden Globe nominations.

Hayden Panettiere’s career from child star to Nashville fame

Hayden Panettiere released her first book, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in May 2026. The memoir covered her public life, including a difficult relationship with her mother and abuse she said she experienced during her life in Hollywood.

Hayden Panettiere had also spoken publicly about struggles with alcohol and drugs. She entered rehab in 2020 and got sober. In 2023, her younger brother Jansen Panettiere died unexpectedly at 28.

Hayden Panettiere’s cause of death remains undisclosed

The cause of Hayden Panettiere’s death has not been made public in the latest reports. Her death at 36 marks the sudden end of a career that began when she was a child and eventually made her one of television’s best-known young stars during the 2000s.

Hayden Panettiere was 36 when she died. Born on August 21, 1989, in Palisades, New York, Hayden Panettiere entered the entertainment industry at a remarkably young age and spent more than three decades working across television and film.

Hayden Panettiere’s legacy beyond Heroes and Nashville

Her representative remembered Hayden Panettiere as an “incredible light” and a force of nature whose presence brought love and happiness to people around her as well as to the millions who followed her work on screen.

While Heroes and Nashville became the defining television credits of Hayden Panettiere’s career, her work extended across several areas of entertainment. She appeared in films, television productions and voice roles, while also pursuing music. Her performances in Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise showed her range and helped her move from a successful child performer into a leading actress.

Hayden Panettiere opened up about brother Jansen’s death

Speaking to People magazine in 2024 about Jansen’s death, Hayden Panettiere said, “When something that massive has happened to you, you really learn to pick your fights and just not let the little things upset you. Because once something so horrific, so deep, so catastrophic happens in your life, there’s not much that can really rock you.”

The Hayden Panettiere interview sparked concern among fans over her speech. Hayden Panettiere addressed the reaction in an Instagram post, saying she had been awake for two days because one of her dogs was recovering from emergency surgery.

“I was exhausted. My rep stopped the interview early as it became obvious that I was fading — especially as the subject matter became heavier… Grief looks different on everyone. Whether or not I am on medication is none of anyone’s business and is between me and my doctor,” Hayden Panettiere had said later.