Hayden Panettiere, star of ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’, dies at 36

Hayden Panettiere's representative confirmed her death, while her father, Skip Panettiere, described her as “an incredible light and a force of nature” in a statement. — AFP file pic

By Malay Mail

First Published: Monday, 17 Aug 2026 12:27 PM MYT

LOS ANGELES, Aug 17 — Actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in the television series Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36, according to ABC News.

Her representative confirmed her death, while her father, Skip Panettiere, described her as “an incredible light and a force of nature” in a statement.

“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,” he was quoted as saying. 

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

Further details about Panettiere’s death were not immediately available.

Panettiere began her career as a child actor and went on to star as cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes and country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville.

Her film credits included Remember the Titans, Raising Helen, Ice Princess and Scream 4. She later reprised her role as Kirby Reed in the Scream franchise, appearing in the 2023 film.

Panettiere was also candid about her struggles from childhood stardom through adulthood. She released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in May.

In a 2022 interview with Good Morning America, she spoke about her struggles with alcoholism and postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya Klitschko, in 2014 with her former fiancé, heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.

“I didn’t know where the alcoholism was ending and the postpartum was beginning,” she said at the time.

Panettiere’s brother, Jansen Panettiere, died suddenly in February 2023 at the age of 28 from cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, coupled with aortic valve complications, according to his family.