Heroes actress Hayden Panettiere has died, according to multiple news reports from the United States. She was 36.
The actress' rep issued a statement to ABC News confirming her death.
“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."
No details were provided on her death.
Apart from Heroes, Panettiere also starred in the TV show Nashville and in the Scream franchise films.
In May this year, Panettiere released her memoir, This Is Me: Reckoning, where she chronicled her early years as a child star in soap operas, her struggles with addiction and abuse, and life in Hollywood.
Panettiere started her career in showbiz at an early age – five, to be precise, when she landed a gig in the daytime soap opera One Life To Live. Later, she would go on to star in another soap, Guiding Light.
But it was in the 2006 sci-fi series Heroes that Panettiere, then 17, became a household name. In it, she played cheerleader Claire Bennet and quickly became the pin-up girl of her generation.
With fame came endless scrutiny.
In her memoir, she wrote that she suffered from body dysmorphia as a result.
“It blows my mind that people could be so cruel,” she told The New York Times about the criticism she received at the time.
The actress was also open about her struggles with alcohol and drugs. In 2020, she admitted herself into a rehab facility and got sober.
In a 2024 video interview with People, where she opened up about the sudden death of her younger brother a year earlier, fans went online to express concern over her slurred speech.
She addressed the issue on Instagram, saying she was exhausted at the time of the interview.
She continued: “Grief looks different on everyone. Whether or not I am on medication is none of anyone’s business and is between me and my doctor. Mental health is so important, and I hope those reading this now understand that what you say hiding behind a computer screen can have a detrimental impact on someone.”
Panettiere and boxer Wladimir Klitschko had an on-and-off relationship for more than nine years, from 2009, before calling it quits in 2018. The couple share a daughter, Kaya, who was born in 2014. In her memoir, the actress also touched on her decision to give full custody of her daughter to Klitschko.
Panettiere was a two-time Golden Globe nominee for her role in Nashville.
