Hayden Panettiere, who starred in the Noughties superhero drama Heroes, has died at the age of 36. She was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest last Sunday after a suspected drug overdose at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Heroes debuted in 2006 and ran for four seasons and 77 episodes, telling the stories of ordinary people who discover they have superhuman abilities. The show won a Television Critics Association Award for Programme of the Year, a BAFTA TV Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for its stunt ensemble, turning much of its cast into household names.
But since it ended, several stars have endured serious struggles, from addiction and 'toxic' workplace allegations to financial hardship and legal battles.
Hayden Panettiere
Hayden played Claire Bennet and was the show's breakout star at just 17. After leaving Heroes, she faced her own battles with addiction.
Following the 2014 birth of her daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with former boxer Wladimir Klitschko, Hayden struggled with postpartum depression. Appearing on Live With Kelly And Michael, she said: "It's something a lot of women experience... I've never, ever had those feelings. Some women do. But you don't realise how broad of a spectrum you can really experience that on. It's something that needs to be talked about."
After filming for Nashville wrapped, she took a break from acting after reaching what she called rock bottom. In 2018 she relinquished full custody of Kaya while battling severe postpartum depression, anxiety and addiction to alcohol and opioids. She was later hospitalised for jaundice and told by doctors her liver was going to give out, prompting eight months in rehab.
She then began dating aspiring actor Brian Hickerson. In May 2019, Brian was arrested for domestic violence after an altercation at the couple's home. Insiders told TMZ a fight broke out after a night of drinking in Hollywood. Police who visited around 2am noticed redness and marks on Hayden's body and took Brian into custody; he was booked on felony domestic violence and released on $50,000 bond.
A source told Us Weekly in November that the couple "party a lot together and it's not a healthy situation... She doesn't listen to anyone." Another source told Radar Online that her parents and friends "do not approve" and were "hoping that this is something that she is going to evolve from."
The May 2019 charges were later dropped, though Hayden received a protective order. The couple split after a further domestic violence incident in February 2020, and five months later Brian was charged with eight counts of domestic violence and assault, spending 13 days in jail. Hayden said afterwards she hoped to serve as an example for others in similar situations; Brian later said the two were "just friends."
In 2023, Hayden's only sibling, her brother Jansen, died unexpectedly aged 28. She told PEOPLE: "When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul... I will never be able to get over it. No matter how many years go by, I will never get over his loss."
In one of her last interviews before her death, Hayden appeared on Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast in May to promote her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. "I finally feel like I have shaken off all of this darkness and this negativity," she said. "I feel like I have a lot more life to live."
On August 16 it was announced that Hayden, who would have turned 37 on August 21, had been found unresponsive by officers and paramedics. It remains unconfirmed whether narcotics contributed to her death, as the coroner awaits toxicology results.
Milo Ventimiglia
Milo played Peter Petrelli and won global recognition for the empathy-driven hero. After Heroes wrapped, he struggled to find work for an entire year.
Facing a dry spell in his early 30s, he considered quitting Hollywood and moving to Italy to work on a farm. "I couldn't get hired in town," he told Variety. "I was really having to re-evaluate what I was going to be doing because... you need to feed yourself and clothe yourself and have a roof over your head. I was starting to see those things minimise."
His career later picked up, reaching new heights with This Is Us in 2016. But in 2025, Milo and his wife, Jarah Mariano, lost their Malibu home to the Palisades Fire. They evacuated safely, watching the blaze on security cameras before turning them off to accept the loss. Seeing the wreckage in person felt "heavy," he said. "You start thinking about all the memories in different parts of the house... your heart just breaks."
Ali Larter
Ali played multiple characters, including Niki and her twin Tracy Sanders, and went on to Resident Evil: Afterlife and the series Legends, Pitch and Landman.
But the actress found herself at the centre of a controversy over co-star Leonard Roberts's departure. After leaving, Leonard published an open letter alleging backstage friction and systemic racism on set, naming Ali as a primary factor in his exit.
Leonard wrote that the script's volatile relationship between his character, DL, and Niki bled into real life, with him "on the receiving end of pushback from my co-star regarding the playing of a particularly tense scene." Describing a bedroom scene with Ali, he said she "took umbrage with the level of intimacy being suggested between our characters." He said he had been told his character would return for season two, but shortly before production began he received a voicemail from creator Tim Kring saying that, due to "the Ali Larter situation," DL would be killed off.
Tim acknowledged a "lack of diversity" among the Heroes staff and said he remembered Leonard "fondly." He said: "Diversity, interconnectivity and inclusivity were groundbreaking hallmarks of Heroes... I acknowledge that a lack of diversity at the upper levels of the staff may have contributed to Leonard experiencing the lack of sensitivity that he describes."
Ali said she was "deeply saddened" and "heartbroken reading his perception of our relationship, which absolutely doesn't match my memory nor experience on the show." She added: "I am truly sorry for any role I may have played in his painful experience during that time and I wish him and his family the very best."
Adrian Pasdar
Adrian played Nathan Petrelli and went on to roles in The Lying Game, S.H.I.E.L.D and Supergirl. But as Heroes was wrapping up, he went through a highly publicised divorce from Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines that lasted years and took a heavy financial toll.
Adrian argued Natalie had been the breadwinner, paying for their homes while he covered restaurant bills, and said he had put his career on hold to raise their children. Natalie said he was trying to "drag out" the divorce and force her to spend a "ton of money and time." Adrian had agreed in a 2000 prenuptial agreement not to receive spousal support, but later argued the terms were "unconscionable." The pair reached a private financial settlement in December 2019 after a two-year legal battle.
Greg Grunberg
Greg played Matt Parkman and continued acting after the series ended. Away from the screen, he has faced personal health and family struggles.
His oldest son, Jake, was diagnosed with severe epilepsy at seven after initially experiencing brief staring spells. Greg channelled the experience into community support, co-founding the Talk About It! epilepsy awareness network and a digital caregiver series for families facing rare neurological disorders.
Greg has also developed alopecia, which he believes was triggered by a major knee replacement surgery. "I think it shocked the alopecia into... actually presenting itself," he said in a social media clip. He said he also has Hashimoto's disease, an underactive thyroid condition of which thinning hair is a common symptom. "Millions of people have this," he said. "And I look good! I mean, I'm lucky, all right? I look good."
