Hollywood is in mourning following the death of actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her starring roles in NBC’s ‘Heroes’ and ABC/CMT’s Nashville. She was 36.
Her death was confirmed Sunday, August 17, 2026, by her representative. Her father, Alan ‘Skip’ Panettiere, said in a statement shared with ABC News, which first reported the news and CNN.
“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.”
The family asked for privacy as they process “this unimaginable loss.” A cause of death has not been disclosed. Law enforcement sources told TMZ that police responded to an incident involving Panettiere on Sunday and that an investigation is open.
Born Hayden Lesley Panettiere on August 21, 1989, in Palisades, New York, she began her career before her first birthday, appearing in a Playskool commercial at 11 months old. She became a child star on daytime soaps ‘One Life to Live’ (1994-1997) and ‘Guiding Light.’
Her breakout film roles included voicing Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life — which earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album for Children at age 9, making her one of the youngest nominees ever — and playing Sheryl Yoast in Remember the Titans (2000).
She became a household name at 16 as indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s global hit Heroes (2006-2010), famous for the line “Save the cheerleader, save the world.” She later earned two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of troubled country music prodigy Juliette Barnes on Nashville (2012-2018). Other notable credits include Disney’s Ice Princess, Bring It On: All or Nothing, I Love You, Beth Cooper, and Kirby Reed in Scream 4 and Scream VI.
Her most recent role was in the psychological thriller Sleepwalker, released in the U.S. in January 2026.
In recent years, Panettiere spoke candidly about her struggles with postpartum depression, alcohol and opioid addiction, childhood stardom and domestic abuse.
She detailed her journey in her memoir released in May 2026, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which became a New York Times bestseller. In it, she revealed doctors once warned her that her liver would “give out” and that she could be dead within five years if she continued drinking.
She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, whom she shared with former fiancé, former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko and by her parents Lesley Vogel and Skip Panettiere. Her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 at age 28 from an enlarged heart.
Tributes have begun pouring in from co-stars and fans, remembering her as a fierce talent who grew up on screen.
