The news was confirmed by her father, Skip Panettiere, through The Hollywood Reporter. In his statement, he described his daughter as "an incredible light, a force of nature, who brought immeasurable love and joy to everyone who knew her, and to the millions who saw her on screen," and asked for privacy for the family as they process this "unimaginable loss." The cause of her death has not yet been made public.
Hayden Panettierebegan her acting career as a child, appearing on the American soap opera "One Life to Live" at just four years old. She became widely known for her role in "Heroes," starting in 2006, in which she played a cheerleader with superpowers for four seasons. She later played Juliette Barnes in "Nashville" from 2012 to 2018, and in the "Scream" franchise, she portrayed Kirby Reed in both 2011's "Scream 4" and 2023's "Scream VI." Her other credits include "Guiding Light," "Malcolm in the Middle," "The Object of My Affection," "A Bug's Life," "Message in a Bottle," and "Remember the Titans."
"Scream VI" co-star Melissa Barrera was among the first to pay tribute, posting on her Instagram Story: "Rest in peace, dear Hayden," alongside a broken heart emoji. The comments section of Panettiere's final Instagram post has also been flooded with tributes from fans. Selma Blair, star of "Legally Blonde" and "Cruel Intentions," wrote: "I love you, don't go, please." Beverley Mitchell of "7th Heaven" commented: "Praying this news isn't true! You are such a bright, loved soul."
Earlier this year, Panettiere published a memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," in which she opened up for the first time about her struggles with postpartum depression, addiction, and recovery, and came out as bisexual. In the book, she described falling into "a vicious cycle of years-long depression, anxiety, alcoholism, and drug abuse," writing that she was "just trying to find my way back to myself, out of the darkness."
She previously dated Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she had a daughter, Kaya, in 2014. Her brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 from complications related to an aortic valve issue, at the age of 28.
At the time of publication, the official cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
