Hayden Panettiere, who starred in television series "Heroes" and "Nashville" has died, her representative confirmed to NPR in a statement.
In a statement by Panettiere's father, shared by Panettiere's representative, he 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," the statement said. "We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."
A child actor since she was cast in various commercials as an 11-month-old, Panettiere grew into a prolific actress starring in soap operas, TV series and movies, including "Remember the Titans," as well as "Normal" and "Scream."
She was best known for her role as the country music star Juliette Barnes in the series "Nashville," a role that she said at times closely resembled her own life.
"I stopped being able to tell where the character started and where, you know, I ended like we were just mushed together," she told NPR's All Things Considered in an interview in May.
The role earned Panettiere two Golden Globe nominations in 2013 and 2014 in the Best Supporting Actress category.
Earlier this year, Panettiere published her memoir, "This is me: A reckoning," where she described her longing for a "normal childhood" as a child actor, her want to "fit in." Panettiere also shared her struggle with addiction and depression, and their impact on her relationship with her daughter and her partner, former Ukrainian boxing world champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Panettiere said the book's purpose was to share "my stories and my traumas and… the things that I've been through, my obstacles," to "help others overcome theirs and make them feel like they're not so alone."
"I was trying to fit into two different worlds. One was a very adult world, which was the industry, and one was the world of just being a normal kid, and (I) struggled with both in different ways," she told NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer. But I desperately wanted to fit in. That's what I wanted more than anything."
Panettiere died in South Carolina at 36.
Copyright 2026 NPR