Actress Hayden Panettiere, who starred in Heroes and Nashville, dies aged 36

American actress Hayden Panettiere has died aged 36 – with police reportedly probing an “incident” involving the Hollywood and TV legend. The former child star’s father confirmed the actress, who had hit roles in the NBC drama Heroes and musical series Nashville, died on Sunday. Actrees Hayden Panettiere has died aged 36 Credit: WireImage Hayden starred as Claire Bennett in the acclaimed series Heroes Credit: Universal Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock Sources told TMZ that the mother-of-one had complained of back pain in the months before her death. Her dad, Skip Panettiere, said this morning: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! “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 on screen.” The actress’s grieving dad also asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss”. The star’s family did not give a cause or location of death. However, TMZ reported both Panettiere and her boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, had flown out of Los Angeles on Saturday. The website also said police were responding to an “incident” involving the actress and that an investigation is ongoing. Panettiere’s sudden death comes months after her candid autobiography, This Is Me: A Reckoning, detailed her experiences with postpartum depression, drug addiction and recovery. Most read in TV The tell-all book had recently become a New York Times bestseller. Tributes flooded in for the star, with fellow actress Selma Blair writing on Instagram: “I love you. Don’t be gone. Don’t be gone. Please.” Panettiere, who grew up in New York state, got her start on stage and screen at just 11 months old by featuring in adverts. Her film debut came at the age of nine, as the narrator and voice of Princess Dot in the 1998 animated flick A Bug’s Life. She was nominated for a Young Artist Award and a Grammy Award on the back of the film’s box office success, which made her the fifth-youngest Grammy nominee ever. The film landed her more childhood acting gigs before she moved on to TV and film roles as an adult, appearing in US soap operas. But the actress was best known for her roles in US TV dramas and in the Scream franchise. She played cheerleader Claire Bennet in 73 episodes of the popular NBC drama Heroes from 2006, and later earned two Golden Globe nominations as Juliette Barnes on Nashville. Panettiere featured in 128 episodes from 2012 to 2018. Her turn as Kirby Reed in the 2011 horror film Scream 4 made her a franchise fan favourite, and Panettiere was asked to make a comeback for Scream VI in 2023. She also voiced a role in the survival video game series Until Dawn, while other film credits included Remember the Titans and Raising Helen. The star had publicly spoken about her difficulties with mental health and addiction, but had been sober since 2020 after spending weeks in rehab. A serious bout of postpartum depression led to her giving up custody of her daughter, Kaya, 11, in 2018. She shares the girl with retired Ukrainian professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, with whom Panettiere had an on-and-off relationship between 2009 and 2018. The pair – who had a 14-year age gap – were engaged from 2013 but split up before tying the knot. Earlier this year, she said of giving up her daughter: “The idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking. “It couldn’t be further from the truth. “I was struggling with mental health and anxiety and postpartum depression, and having to act my way through it, and just feeling like I completely lost myself.” Panettiere’s younger brother, Jason, 28, died in 2023 from an “enlarged heart”, which the actress revealed had deeply affected her everyday life. Speaking in 2024, she said: “When something that massive has happened to you, you really learn to pick your fights and just not let the little things upset you. “Because once something so horrific, so deep, so catastrophic happens in your life, there’s not much that can really rock you.” Comment now