Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36: What to Know About the ‘Scream 4’ Actress

Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36. The news was confirmed by her father, who released a statement announcing her death.

“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. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss” he said.

According to police in Greenville, South Carolina, officers responded to a report of an unresponsive woman at around 1:50 p.m. on Sunday. Emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene and provided medical assistance, but Panettiere was later pronounced dead. While the actress’s cause of death has not been formally released by her family, authorities have described it as a “possible overdose.”

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Born on August 19, 1989, Panettiere spent most of her life in front of the camera, she entered the entertainment industry as a baby. She began modeling at just eight months old and appeared in her first commercial, a Playskool toy train advertisement, at 11 months.

By the age of four, she had landed a major acting role as Sarah Roberts on the soap opera One Life to Live. She also appeared in several television commercials, including her role as Lizzie Spaulding in Guiding Light.

Her career continued growing as she moved into both film and voice acting. She voiced Dot in the Disney-Pixar animated film A Bug’s Life and later appeared in Remember the Titans at the age of 10, playing the daughter of the character portrayed by Denzel Washington.

Her performances earned her early recognition, winning a Young Artist Award for her role in Remember the Titans, while her work in A Bug’s Life also earned her a Grammy nomination.

Although, Panettiere later revealed that growing up in the spotlight came at a cost. In her autobiography, This Is Me, which was published earlier this year, she said “From a very young age, I lost the chance to have a normal childhood, friends, relationships, and my privacy,” she wrote.

Photo: Getty Images

Over the next three decades, Panettiere built an impressive career in television and film. She appeared in popular television shows such as Ally McBeal and Malcolm in the Middle, while also starring in films including Tiger Cruise, Ice Princess, and Bring It On: All or Nothing. One of her breakthroughs came in 2006 when she landed one of the lead roles in NBC’s Heroes. She played Claire Bennet, a high school cheerleader with the ability to heal herself.

Following the finale of Heroes in 2010, she starred in Scream 4 in 2011 and later returned to reprise the role in Scream VI. From 2012 to 2018, she starred alongside Connie Britton in all six seasons of the musical drama series Nashville. Her final film role was reportedly in Sleepwalker.

Outside of television and film, Panettiere also worked in the gaming industry. She voiced Kairi in the 2002 video game Kingdom Hearts, a collaboration between Disney and Japanese video game developer Square Enix.

Photo: Getty Images

In December 2014, the actress became a mother after welcoming her daughter, Kaya, with her then-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko. The former couple raised their daughter together during her early years, but in 2018, Panettiere transferred custody to her former partner.

During an appearance on Jay Shetty’s podcast, she addressed claims that she “gave away” her daughter. At the time, she was seeking treatment for alcoholism, substance abuse, and postpartum depression.

In 2022, she spoke openly to People about her struggles with opioid addiction and alcohol. “I was on top of the world and I ruined it,” she said. She also described battling addiction, depression, and postpartum depression, explaining that she believed she had reached rock bottom before realizing there were still more challenges ahead. Despite the difficulties she faced, she said she did not regret her journey.

“I put a lot of work into myself, and I have to be willing to be incredibly honest. There were a lot of ups and downs, but I don’t regret even the ugliest things that have happened to me,” she said.

Panettiere is survived by her parents and her daughter, Kaya.