Hayden Panettiere, 'Heroes' and 'Nashville' star, dies at 36

Published Aug 17, 03:12 AM UTC

Hayden Panettiere, the former child actress known for roles in 'Heroes,' 'Nashville,' and the 'Scream' film series, has died at age 36. Her representative confirmed the news in a statement on Sunday night, calling her 'an incredible light and a force of nature.' Panettiere's death follows the release of her memoir 'This Is Me: A Reckoning' in May 2026, in which she detailed struggles with postpartum depression, addiction, trauma, and the loss of her brother in 2023. Her cause of death has not been released. Panettiere began her career on the soap opera 'One Life to Live' and later starred in films such as 'Remember the Titans,' 'A Bug's Life,' and 'Dinosaur.' She also voiced characters in animated hits. The story is developing.