{"id":221097,"date":"2026-08-18T17:26:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T17:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/actor-hayden-panettiere-known-for-roles-in-heroes-and-nashville-dies-at-36-nbc-news\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T17:26:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T17:26:20","slug":"actor-hayden-panettiere-known-for-roles-in-heroes-and-nashville-dies-at-36-nbc-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/actor-hayden-panettiere-known-for-roles-in-heroes-and-nashville-dies-at-36-nbc-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Actor Hayden Panettiere, known for roles in \u2018Heroes\u2019 and \u2018Nashville,\u2019 dies at 36 – NBC News"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Actor Hayden Panettiere, who was known for roles in television\u2019s \u201cHeroes\u201d and \u201cNashville\u201d and had recently published a memoir, has died, her father said in a statement Sunday night.
She was 36.
\u201cIt is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,\u201d Skip Panettiere said in a statement provided by her representative.
The Greenville County Coroner\u2019s Office said Monday that the cause of death is pending further investigation.
An autopsy was completed Monday, the statement added, and \u201cno signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.\u201d
At around 1:50 p.m. Sunday, authorities received a 911 call about a \u201creported cardiac arrest\u201d at an apartment complex, according to the coroner\u2019s office. Police said an acquaintance of Panettiere\u2019s made the 911 call.
\u201cPanettiere was found unresponsive inside the residence, where she had been temporarily staying,\u201d the coroner\u2019s office said.
Advanced cardiac life support measures were initiated, but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, the statement added. Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.
\u201cThe case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner\u2019s Office,\u201d police said Sunday, adding that the preliminary investigation had not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Panettiere revealed this year that she previously struggled with postpartum depression and addiction<\/a>, which she said led to her decision to give up custody of her only child, daughter Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, in 2018, whom she had with former partner Wladimir Klitschko, the Ukrainian professional boxer.
Panettiere recently published a memoir, \u201cThis Is Me: A Reckoning,\u201d which generated headlines over its revelations, including some about her past relationships.
In 2024, she described the pain and grief <\/a>after her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died unexpectedly of an undiagnosed heart condition<\/a> the previous year.
\u201cWhen you lose somebody that you saw in all the important moments in your life, standing right next to you, it just rocks your world,\u201d she told NBC\u2019s \u201cTODAY\u201d show.
Hayden Panettiere was born and raised in Palisades, New York, about 40 miles north of New York City, according to her Television Academy bio.
Panettiere started working at 11 months old, when she appeared in television commercials, it said.
She appeared on soap operas, including \u201cOne Life to Live\u201d and \u201cGuiding Light,\u201d beginning at age 4. Her voice was featured as the young princess ant in \u201cA Bug\u2019s Life,\u201d the animated feature, and she eventually appeared in big-screen stories, including \u201cRemember the Titans,\u201d \u201cIce Princess\u201d and \u201cBring It On: All or Nothing.\u201d
One of her most impactful roles was as Juliette Barnes on television\u2019s \u201cNashville.\u201d The role earned her two Golden Globe nominations.
Before that, she was Claire Bennet on the 2000s show \u201cHeroes.\u201d
Connie Briton, Panettiere\u2019s co-star on \u201cNashville,\u201d posted several photos<\/a> of the two of them together on the set with the caption: \u201cThis was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright. I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now. 💔\u201d
Matt Lanter, who played a boyfriend of Panettiere\u2019s characters in both \u201cHeroes\u201d and ABC\u2019s \u201cCommander in Chief,\u201d posted a sweet picture<\/a> of her hugging him in happier times.
\u201cWe always had a great time on set and tons of laughs,\u201d Lanter wrote, saying Panettiere was \u201cjust too young\u201d when she died.
Emma Roberts, who appeared with Panettiere in the 2011 horror sequel \u201cScream 4,\u201d also posted a loving photo of her kissing Panettiere on her forehead<\/a>.
Roberts, the niece of Julia Roberts, eulogized, \u201crest in peace my sweet friend,\u201d telling the departed Panettiere that she was \u201cso loved and you will be forever missed.\u201d
Her time shooting \u201cNashville\u201d included the pressure of having had a baby and experiencing postpartum depression, she said, and at times it was too much.
\u201cThat\u2019s why I turned to substances \u2014 because the anxiety that I started having, the panic attacks that I started having,\u201d she said in a tearful interview on the \u201cJay Shetty Podcast<\/a>\u201d in May.
Panettiere said she always wanted to be a mother but discussed her sadness amid her postpartum depression.
\u201cI had this beautiful plan in my head, and then I had my daughter, and I knew something was just terribly, terribly wrong,\u201d she said on the podcast. \u201cI was miserable. I was in tears all the time. Even though the alcohol helped my nervous system calm down, it is a depressant, so over time it made things worse, not better.\u201d
Despite being apart from her daughter after she gave up custody to Klitschko, Panettiere told Shetty, she formed a strong bond with her child.
\u201cI will always want her here. I always miss her,\u201d she said. \u201cI always want to have my arms wrapped around her, but that\u2019s just not the way life is right at this moment.\u201d
She continued, \u201cI have faith that she is going to come to me and that we\u2019re going to have an incredible relationship and bond and friendship that a lot of parents don\u2019t get to have with their kids.\u201d
In 2018, the year \u201cNashville\u201d ended its six-season run, Panettiere sold her home in the namesake city<\/a>.
The screen actors union SAG-AFTRA, which counted her as a member since 1994, said in a statement: \u201cWe join in mourning the sudden passing of Hayden Panettiere. Our hearts are with her daughter, family, friends and fans.\u201d
Viola Davis, who starred alongside Panettiere in the 2016 film \u201cCustody,\u201d paid tribute to her \u201camazing talent.\u201d
\u201cI wish the world had more time with you because I had a burning curiosity about who you were becoming. I saw this beautiful Phoenix rising from the ashes. Your tests became your testimony, and your testimony became your legacy. You will be remembered,\u201d Davis said on Instagram.
Emme Rylan, who appeared with Panettiere in \u201cBring It On: All or Nothing,\u201d said on Instagram: \u201cSo very sad. Rest in peace sweet soul.\u201d
Kelly Osbourne said in an Instagram Story<\/a> that she was \u201cdeeply saddened by the loss of someone who meant so much to me.\u201d
\u201cWe understood each other in a way few truly can \u2014 recognizing how difficult it is to grow up in the spotlight, and how isolating it can feel even when surrounded by so many people,\u201d Osbourne wrote, adding that Panettiere was \u201csuch a good friend to me.\u201d
Brit Shaw, who guest-starred on \u201cNashville,\u201d called Panettiere\u2019s death a \u201cshock\u201d on Instagram.
\u201cShe had this way of making you feel at home. From the moment I walked onto the Nashville set, she made me feel like I belonged,\u201d Shaw wrote. \u201cWe had so many good times together, and I\u2019ll always be grateful for them.\u201d
Alyson Stoner, who succeeded Panettiere as the English voice actor for Kairi in the \u201cKingdom Hearts\u201d video game franchise, also expressed her grief on Instagram.
\u201cFrom one Kairi to another\u2026 One sky, one destiny,\u201d said the caption on the emotional video. \u201cMy deepest condolences to Hayden\u2019s family, community, and the many lives Hayden reached. May you rest in freedom, Hayden.\u201d
Paul Strauss, one of Washington, D.C.\u2019s nonvoting representatives in the U.S. Senate, shared a photo of himself with Panettiere on Instagram<\/a> and said he was \u201cdevastated\u201d by her death.
\u201cHayden was a special person who always tried to use her platform for causes she believed in. Her advocacy to protect whales, and for DC Statehood were just some of the worthy causes she generously donated her time and energy to,\u201d Strauss said. \u201cA special soul gone way too soon.\u201d
Panettiere was a spokesperson for the Whaleman Foundation, an oceanic conservation group; appeared in the 2010 Oscar-winning documentary about dolphin slaughter, \u201cThe Cove\u201d; and received the Genesis Wyler Award from the Humane Society, according to the Television Academy.
\u201cShe was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her\u2014 and to the millions who watched her onscreen,\u201d her father said.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in emotional distress, call or text 988 or chat at <\/em>988lifeline.org<\/em><\/a> 24\/7 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. For additional resources, visit <\/em>SpeakingOfSuicide.com\/resources<\/em><\/a>.<\/em>
Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
Bill Feather is an assignment editor for NBC Los Angeles who covers general assignment and daily breaking news, primarily in Southern California.
© 2026 NBCUniversal Media, LLC<\/p>\n

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news AlertsThere are no new alerts at this timeActor Hayden Panettiere, who was known for roles in television\u2019s \u201cHeroes\u201d and \u201cNashville\u201d and had recently published a memoir, has died, her father said in a statement Sunday night. She was 36.\u201cIt is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,\u201d Skip […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":221098,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-221097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-us","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221097","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=221097"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221097\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/221098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=221097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=221097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=221097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}