Beloved Hollywood Actress Hayden Panettiere Dies Aged 36: 'Profound Sadness'

Beloved Hollywood actress Hayden Panettiere has sadly passed away at age 36, her representatives have confirmed in a statement to ABC News.

The former child star, who was set to celebrate her birthday on August 21, appeared in the TV shows Heroes and Nashville as well as the Scream franchise.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” her rep said.

“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.”

Further details surrounding her death have not yet been revealed.

Hayden Panettiere’s legacy

Panettiere started acting at 11 months old and began her full-time acting career in 1994 on the soap opera One Life to Live. She went on to play Lizzie Spaulding in the series Guiding Light from 1996 to 2000, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for her voice role in the 1998 Pixar film A Bug’s Life.

She appeared on Disney Channel with the films Tiger Cruise, Racing Stripes and Ice Princess, and became a teen queen in the early 2000s with starring roles in Bring It On: All or Nothing and I Love You Beth Cooper.

Panettiere’s fame reached new heights when she played Claire Bennet in the series Heroes, starred in the Scream franchise as Kirby Reed, and acted opposite Connie Britton on Nashville from 2012 to 2018.

Outside of acting, Panettiere released her autobiography This Is Me: A Reckoning in May 2026, which detailed her experience growing up in the spotlight and reclaiming her own narrative.

The actress is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, who she shared with her ex-fiancé and Ukrainian former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere granted Klitschko full custody of their daughter in 2018 while battling severe postpartum depression and opioid and alcohol addiction.

Rest in peace, Hayden Panettiere.