Actress Hayden Panettiere Dies At 36

American actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36, her representative has confirmed. Panettiere began acting at a young age and gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Claire Bennet in the popular science-fiction series Heroes.

She later took on the role of Juliette Barnes in the musical television series Nashville, which premiered in 2012. Her portrayal of the ambitious country-pop singer earned her two consecutive Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress in 2013 and 2014. Panettiere also performed many of the songs featured in Nashville, with several of her recordings gaining recognition on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Her songs from the series included “Telescope,” “Love Like Mine”, and “Undermine.”

Beyond television, she appeared in several films, including Remember the Titans, Raising Helen, Ice Princess and Scream 4. Her early career included work in commercials and television before she transitioned into more prominent film and series roles. Panettiere also became known for speaking openly about difficult experiences in her personal life.

In May 2026, she released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she discussed aspects of her life away from the screen, including postpartum depression, addiction and recovery, trauma, domestic abuse and personal loss. Her representative confirmed her death, while her father, Skip Panettiere, mourned her passing and appealed for privacy as the family deals with the loss. Details surrounding the circumstances and cause of her death had not been released at the time of the announcement.

Panettiere’s death brings an end to a career that began in childhood and spanned television, film and music, with her performances in Heroes and Nashville remaining among her most recognized work.