Actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36 after suffering cardiac arrest on Sunday, emergency officials and family members confirmed.
The star of television dramas Nashville and Heroes was found unresponsive by emergency services responding to a 911 call in Greenville County. International news agencies confirmed her passing late on Sunday, leaving the entertainment industry in mourning as authorities opened an investigation into her death.
Her father confirmed the news in a statement to ABC News, expressing deep sadness over the tragic loss of their beloved family member. He described the actress, who also founded the charity Hoplon International to raise funds for Ukraine, as an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to everyone who knew her and to millions of viewers on screen.
Tributes from Hollywood costars
Born in 1989, Panettiere began her career as a child star before building an extensive film and television career. She became a regular presence on red carpets, where fans frequently gathered to request photographs and autographs.
Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis paid tribute to Panettiere on social media, recalling their work together on the 2016 courtroom drama film Custody. Davis said she and her husband, Julius Tennon, loved working with the actress, describing her as a wise and mature soul with a deep heart. She added that she wished the world had possessed more time with her to see who she would become.
Davis also reflected on Panettiere's return to acting in recent years, stating that she had watched a beautiful phoenix rise from the ashes. She remarked that Panettiere's trials had turned into her testimony and legacy, offering prayers of comfort for her family, her daughter, and all who loved her.
Actress Bethany Joy Lenz, known for her role in the television series One Tree Hill, shared a lengthy message stating she was heartbroken by the loss. Lenz recalled meeting Panettiere at Screen Gems studio when Panettiere was nine or ten years old and Lenz was 18. She described watching the young blonde girl with long, unruly curls running through the hallways laughing and playing between staging and camera rehearsals.
Lenz noted that Panettiere possessed astonishing intelligence, memorising her own lines alongside everyone else's and understanding dramatic scenes and human nuances better than any child actor she had seen. Expressing disbelief over her death, Lenz noted that Panettiere had seemed to be recovering and coming back to life, adding that she was far too young with much life ahead, while expressing regret for not staying in touch.
Actress Emma Roberts also honoured her friend in a message, expressing her love and writing that Panettiere would be missed forever.
Personal struggles and advocacy
In a 2022 interview with People magazine, the former Nashville star spoke candidly about her personal struggles, including her fight against alcohol and opioid addiction. Panettiere admitted at the time that she had been at the top of the world before ruining her position, while also revealing that she had suffered from postpartum depression.
Following treatment, Panettiere reflected that she had worked hard and forced herself to be incredibly honest about her life. She stated that she had no regrets regarding even the ugliest events in her past, feeling incredibly fulfilled and believing she had received a second chance. Alongside her return to acting, she dedicated herself to social causes through Hoplon International, the organisation she established to assist Ukraine.
Investigation into cardiac arrest
Greenville County officials released a press statement explaining that emergency responders answered a 911 call and discovered Panettiere, 36, unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. Paramedics attempted to save her life before she died.
The coroner's office revealed that an initial examination showed no signs of trauma on the body. Authorities confirmed that her official cause of death remains pending further investigation and the completion of additional medical studies.
