Connie Britton reacts to ‘Nashville’ co-star Hayden Panettiere’s heartbreaking death

Connie Britton paid tribute to her former co-star Hayden Panettiere, who tragically died on Sunday. The two co-starred on “Nashville” together for five seasons. Britton posted pics with Panettiere on Instagram Monday, and said she was heartbroken. “This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright,” she wrote. “I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak.” She added, “I love you girl. Sleep easy now. 💔.” Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Instagram/Connie Britton The first pic in the carousel was of her and Panettiere holding hands with their arms raised as their respective “Nashville” characters, Rayna James and Juliette Barnes. Panettiere left the series in 2017 prior to the show’s sixth and final season. Back in May, Panettiere revealed her “deeply uncomfortable” dynamic with Britton on the “Nashville” set in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.” She explained that her character was definitely not intended to be the show’s star, but she quickly rose in popularity. Instagram/Connie Britton WireImage She wrote, “That honor went to Connie, whose Rayna Jaymes was in the twilight of her career, facing a dramatic turning point thanks to yours truly.” “Unfortunately, after the pilot, it was clear that my billing had gone way up,” the “Heroes” alum recalled. “I went from maybe number five in terms of importance to nipping at Connie’s heels.” She also remembered being “deeply uncomfortable with this development,” and said that she wanted to make sure Britton knew she wasn’t trying to “step on her toes.” Britton, her former co-star explained, was “in her 40s with three Emmy nominations under her belt” and “was also a new mom.” Panettiere wrote, “I was 23 years old . . . This should have been her time to shine, and while it was in many respects, I was terrified of making Connie worry that I — not my character — was trying to compete with her.” This story is developing… Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!