Hayden Panettiere, the American actress best known for her roles in the TV series Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36.
Her father and representative, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death. He described her as “an incredible light and a force of nature” who brought love and joy to her family, friends and millions of people who watched her on screen.
The cause of her death has not been disclosed. Panettiere started acting as a child and built a career that lasted more than two decades. She became widely known after playing Claire Bennet, a young woman with healing powers, in the hit television series Heroes. The role made her a popular figure among television audiences.
She later starred as Juliette Barnes, a talented but troubled country singer, in the musical drama series Nashville. Her performance earned her two Golden Globe nominations.
Panettiere also appeared in several popular films, including Remember the Titans, Ice Princess, Racing Stripes, Bring It On: All or Nothing, I Love You, Beth Cooper, Scream 4 and Scream VI. She also provided voice roles in animated films such as A Bug’s Life and Dinosaur.
Away from acting, Panettiere was open about some of the difficult experiences she faced in her personal life. She spoke publicly about postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014.
She also revealed that she struggled with alcohol addiction while trying to cope with depression and anxiety. In interviews, she said she did not initially receive treatment for postpartum depression and felt that her struggles were not properly understood at the time.
Panettiere also spoke about surviving an abusive relationship and the challenges of dealing with personal problems while living under intense public attention.
In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, she shared more details about her life, including motherhood, addiction, depression, relationships and her experiences growing up in Hollywood.
Despite her personal struggles, Panettiere continued to work in the entertainment industry and remained a familiar face to television and film audiences.
She is survived by her daughter, Kaya. From her early years as a child actress to her breakthrough in Heroes and later success in Nashville, Panettiere built a career that made her one of the recognisable faces of American television.
