Family confirms the ‘Nashville’ and ‘Heroes’ star has passed away

Actress Hayden Panettiere has died, her representative confirmed to ABC News. She was 36 years old.

“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.” — Skip Panettiere

Her father asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”

Further details surrounding Panettiere’s death have not been made available.

Panettiere began as a child star with roles in projects like Remember the Titans and is remembered for her roles as Claire Bennet on the hit series Heroes and as Juliette Barnes on the musical drama Nashville.

She also starred in Raising Helen, Ice Princess and Scream 4.

Panettiere had been candid about the difficulties she faced from child stardom through adulthood. She began working in entertainment before she was a year old and later spoke openly about the pressures and scrutiny that came with growing up in Hollywood, as well as her struggles with postpartum depression, alcohol and substance addiction, recovery, domestic abuse and motherhood. She also endured the sudden death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, in 2023.

In May, Panettiere released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she reflected on those experiences and sought to tell her story in her own words after spending much of her life in the public eye.

This is a developing story, and more details will be added as they are made available.