Actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36 after suffering cardiac arrest at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday afternoon. Emergency responders were called to the Judson Mill Lofts on Easley Bridge Road around 1:51 p.m. following a report of an unresponsive female.
Medical personnel provided emergency assistance upon arrival, but the actress was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death occurred just days before her 37th birthday.
Panettiere had traveled to South Carolina from Los Angeles with her partner, Brian Hickerson. An acquaintance of the actress made the 911 call, according to authorities.
Police investigation in South Carolina
A spokesperson for the Greenville Police Department told Daily Mail that officers and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to 701 Easley Bridge Road on August 16, 2026. The spokesperson confirmed that an investigation is being conducted jointly by the Greenville Police Department and the Greenville County Coroner's Office.
Preliminary investigations have shown no evidence of foul play or suspicious circumstances, police said. Officials stated that no additional details are available for release at this stage, while media outlet TMZ reported that an overdose remains an open possibility.
Career in television and film
Panettiere was a prominent American actress who rose to global fame for her starring role as Claire Bennet in the NBC superhero series Heroes. Her performance in the popular show established her as a major television star during the late 2000s.
She later earned two Golden Globe nominations for playing country music star Juliette Barnes in the drama series Nashville. Panettiere also starred in the Scream film franchise, appearing as Kirby Reed in Scream 4 and Scream VI, and featured in films such as Remember the Titans.
Tragic parallel with her brother Jansen
Her sudden death mirrors the tragic loss of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, who died from a heart condition in February 2023 at the age of 28. An autopsy later revealed that he suffered from cardiomegaly, an enlarged heart, and aortic valve complications.
Jansen Panettiere was also an actor, appearing in television series such as The Walking Dead and films including The Last Day of Summer. The loss deeply affected his older sister.
Panettiere spoke openly about her grief following her brother's death, stating that her heart would always be broken over his loss. She shared that she would never be able to get over his passing, no matter how many years passed.
Struggles with mental health and custody
In addition to mourning her brother, Panettiere was open about her personal battles with addiction, anxiety, and postpartum depression. She spoke publicly about the difficult circumstances surrounding her personal life and family relationships.
She previously addressed the decision for her former partner, former professional heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, to take custody of their 11-year-old daughter, Kaya. Panettiere noted that public speculation surrounding the arrangement was deeply painful.
She said the assumption that she had simply given up her child and was fine with the decision was heartbreaking and completely untrue. She explained that she was suffering from severe anxiety, mental health struggles, and postpartum depression, and had been pretending everything was fine while feeling as though she had lost herself.
