Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36, ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ Star’s Family Confirms

Hollywood is mourning Hayden Panettiere after her family confirmed the longtime television and film star died just days before her 37th birthday.

News that Hayden Panettiere is dead at 36 was confirmed Sunday, August 16, after her father, Skip Panettiere, announced her death in a statement provided to ABC News, according to The Associated Press. The actress, best known for her work on Heroes and Nashville, would have turned 37 on Friday.

Panettiere’s family said it was with “profound sadness” that they were sharing her death, with her father describing her as “an incredible light and a force of nature.” Her family asked for privacy while grieving, and no cause of death had been announced as of Monday.

Panettiere spent nearly her entire life in the entertainment industry, beginning with commercials and soap operas before expanding into film and voice work. Early credits included Pixar’s A Bug’s Life and Remember the Titans, while her turn as Claire Bennet in NBC’s Heroes made her one of television’s most recognizable young stars in the 2000s.

She later earned two Golden Globe nominations for playing aspiring country singer Juliette Barnes on Nashville, a role that also showcased her vocals and produced multiple appearances on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Panettiere also became a fan favorite in the Scream franchise as Kirby Reed, returning for Scream VI after first playing the character in 2011’s Scream 4.

Her career remained active in 2026 with the psychological thriller Sleepwalker, released in January, and the May publication of her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning. The book revisited her career, motherhood and personal struggles, and Panettiere spent recent months promoting it through interviews, public appearances and social media.

Panettiere is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, as well as her parents. Her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 at 28; Hayden leaves behind a career spanning television, film, music and voice acting from childhood through 2026.