Hayden Panettiere, the actress best known for her roles as the self-healing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the NBC series Heroes and country music star Juliette Barnes in ABC’s Nashville, has died at the age of 36. Her death was confirmed by her representative and a statement from her father.
Panettiere was found unresponsive on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, where she had been temporarily staying. According to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office, emergency responders and EMS personnel answered a 911 call reporting a cardiac arrest at approximately 1:51 p.m. They located her in cardiac arrest and initiated advanced cardiac life support measures. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced deceased at 2:32 p.m.
An autopsy completed on Monday found no signs of trauma that would have contributed to the death. The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies. The Greenville Police Department and coroner’s office said the preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Panettiere placed the 911 call.
In a statement shared by her representative, her father, Skip Panettiere (also referred to as Alan “Skip” Panettiere), said: “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. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
SAG-AFTRA, of which Panettiere had been a member since 1994, issued a statement mourning her “sudden passing” and noting her long career that included memorable roles in Heroes, Nashville and more. The union expressed that its hearts are with her daughter, family, friends and fans.
Born Hayden Leslie Panettiere on August 21, 1989, in Palisades, New York, she began her career as an infant in commercials and went on to voice Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life (1998). She appeared as a child in the soap operas One Life to Live and Guiding Light, and gained early film attention in Remember the Titans (2000) opposite Denzel Washington.
Her breakthrough came with Heroes (2006–2010). She later starred in Nashville (2012–2018), earning Golden Globe nominations, and appeared in the Scream franchise as Kirby Reed in Scream 4 (2011) and Scream VI. Other credits included I Love You, Beth Cooper and the 2026 thriller Sleepwalker. She released her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning in May 2026, in which she discussed her experiences as a child star, postpartum depression after the 2014 birth of her daughter, addiction, recovery and other personal challenges.
Panettiere is survived by her daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé and boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Her brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 at age 28.
Authorities continue to investigate. No further details on the cause of death have been released. The family has requested privacy during this time.
