Hollywood has lost actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, at age 36.
Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement released Sunday.
The circumstances surrounding Hayden Panettiere’s death remain unclear, while her representative said an investigation is underway.
“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,” her father said.
“We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Panettiere became widely known after playing Claire Bennet in NBC’s Heroes from 2006.
She later gained more recognition as Juliette Barnes in ABC’s Nashville, which ran from 2012 to 2018.
Her film credits included I Love You, Beth Cooper, Scream 4 and Scream VI. She also played Amanda Knox in the 2011 Lifetime television film.
In May, Panettiere released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, sharing personal experiences from her life.
The book explored her childhood fame, addiction struggles and postpartum depression.
Speaking about the memoir, she said she wanted to tell her story without unfairly hurting others.
“I was fiercely protective of people in my writing,” she said.
“I felt very strongly about my ability to tell my stories and make them entertaining enough to put in a book, without having to drag people through the mud.”
Panettiere also shared a daughter, Kaya, with former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. Her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 at age 28.
The actress earned several award nominations throughout her career and won Young Artist Awards.
