American Actress Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36

American actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in the television series Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36, ABC News reported Sunday, citing her representative.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” her representative said in a statement. “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 on screen.”

Panettiere’s father, Skip, also confirmed her death in a statement to NBC News and asked for privacy as the family comes to terms with the loss. No details about the circumstances of her death were immediately available.

Panettiere gained widespread recognition for playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the science-fiction drama Heroes. She later starred as Juliette Barnes in the country music drama Nashville. She also appeared in the Scream horror movie franchise.

The actress began her career at a very young age, appearing in commercials at just 11 months old. She went on to work as a child actor in soap operas including One Life to Live and Guiding Light. Her feature film debut came at age nine, when she provided the voice of Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life.

Panettiere had spoken publicly about her struggles with postpartum depression, addiction and recovery. She also discussed the decision to give up custody of her daughter, Kaya, in 2018. Kaya is her daughter with former partner and Ukrainian professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, Panettiere opened up about difficult periods in her life and her journey toward recovery.

In 2024, she also spoke about the grief she experienced following the unexpected death of her younger brother, who died the previous year from an undiagnosed heart condition.

“When you lose somebody that you saw in all the important moments in your life, standing right next to you, it just rocks your world,” she told NBC’s Today show.