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US actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in the television series Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36.
Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement shared with Sky’s US partner NBC News.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” he said.
He described his daughter as “an incredible light and a force of nature” who brought enormous love and happiness to the people around her, as well as to the millions of viewers who watched her performances on screen.
Skip Panettiere also asked the public and media to respect the family’s privacy as they take time to cope with what he described as an unimaginable loss.
Panettiere was also widely recognised for her role in the Scream horror movie franchise.
No further information about the circumstances surrounding her death was immediately released.
Earlier this year, Panettiere published her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, where she spoke openly about her struggles with postpartum depression, addiction and her journey through recovery.
Her experiences contributed to her decision in 2018 to give up custody of her only child, Kaya. She shares Kaya with her former partner, Ukrainian professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
Panettiere began her career at an extremely young age, appearing in television commercials when she was only 11 months old. She later became a child actor, appearing in popular soap operas including One Life to Live and Guiding Light.
Her first feature film role came at the age of nine, when she provided the narration and voice of Princess Dot in the animated movie A Bug’s Life.
Panettiere rose to international fame in 2006 after being cast as a cheerleader with superpowers in the television series Heroes.
Speaking about why she believed the show had become so popular, Panettiere said it combined several elements audiences enjoyed, including reality, science fiction and superhero-style stories that allowed people to imagine something bigger.
She also said that at the heart of the series were relatable human stories that connected with viewers across different age groups.
Her performance in Heroes earned her three Teen Choice Awards.
In 2024, Panettiere also spoke publicly about the pain and grief she experienced following the unexpected death of her younger brother, who died the previous year from an undiagnosed heart condition.
“When you lose somebody that you saw in all the important moments in your life, standing right next to you, it just rocks your world,” she told NBC’s Today show.
Panettiere, who would have celebrated her 37th birthday on Friday, leaves behind a career that began in childhood and included some of television and film’s most recognisable roles.
