NEED TO KNOW
- Actress Hayden Panettiere has died aged 36.
- Her representative confirmed her passing in a statement.
- She was known for her roles in Nashville, Heroes, Raising Helen, and Remember the Titans.
Content warning: This article references drug use. If this topic is distressing, or you, or someone you know, is affected, help is always available. Contact the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline by calling 1800 250 015.
Heroes and Nashville star Hayden Panettiere died aged 36, and the coroner’s office has shared new details regarding her passing.
Her death was confirmed by her representative to ABC News on Monday, August 17 (AEST).
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office completed an autopsy on August 18 (AEST) after the late star was found unresponsive in Greenville, South Carolina.
“An autopsy was completed today. At autopsy, no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,” a statement by Coroner Mike Ellis said.
“The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies. This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time.”
The statement continued to mention that first responders received a 911 call at approximately 1:51pm, and when they arrived, “located a female in cardiac arrest”.
“EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM,” the report continued, adding that Panettiere was identified at the scene.
Tributes for Hayden
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” her representative’s statement read.
“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.”
She is survived by her parents, Skip Patteniere and Lesley Vogel, and daughter Kaya, whom she gave birth to in 2014. In 2018, her daughter moved to Ukraine to live with her father and former boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
Following the news of her passing, her father requested privacy at this difficult time.
Since then, tributes have flooded in for the late star.
“Rest in peace my sweet friend. Rou are so loved and you will be forever missed ❤️,” her Scream 4 co-star Emma Roberts wrote on Instagram.
Viola Davis also shared a heartfelt tribute to the star, whom she worked with on the courtroom drama, custody.
“What an amazing talent you were….so gifted. Julius and I loved working with you….an old, wise soul with such a deep heart,” she penned.
“I wish the world had more time with you because I had a burning curiosity about who you were becoming. I saw this beautiful Phoenix rising from the ashes. Your tests became your testimony, and your testimony became your legacy. You will be remembered. Rest well, Hayden.”
“Rest in peace sweet Hayden. Gone far too soon,” Kim Catrall wrote.
“Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright. I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now,” her Nashville co-star Connie Britton wrote on Instagram.
A legacy in Hollywood that spanned decades
Best known for her roles in Heroes, Nashville, Remember the Titans and Raising Helen, her career spanned more than 30 years.
Born on August 21, 1989, her career in Hollywood began when she was just 11 months old. Then, she earned her first on-screen role before she turned five, in the soap opera, One Life to Live.
She then went on to star in several blockbusters, including Remembering the Titans, Raising Helen, Bring it On: All or Nothing, Ice Princess, Racing Stripes, and several films in the Scream franchise.
The late actor also lent her talents to several animated films, including A Bug’s Life, which earned her a Grammy nomination, and Dinosaur.
Her work in Heroes earned her a Saturn Award for the Best Supporting Actress on Television, and she she earned several award nominations for her playing Juliette Barnes in Nashville, including for two Golden Globes.
Life away from the cameras
While she was adored on screen, the late actress struggled behind the scenes with her mental health and addiction.
When she was just a teenager, she claimed someone from her team offered her pills to make it through red carpet appearances.
“They were to make me peppy during interviews,” she told People. “I had no idea that this was not an appropriate thing, or what door that would open for me when it came to my addiction.”
In the same interview with People, the former actor said she would only turn to drugs and alcohol when she wasn’t on set.
She struggled with postpartum depression after she gave birth to Kaya, while she was filming Nashville.
Looking back on the show, she told the New York Times that the plot often reflected her own experiences.
“Even if something was too much for me, I would never admit to it,” she said in 2023. “It was always about making them happy.”
There was also grief in her family. Sadly, her younger brother, Jansen Rane Panettiere, died in 2023 at the age of 28.
Though she kept out of the spotlight, She candidly wrote about her life in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which then went on to become a New York Times bestseller.
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