Hayden Panettiere attended the amfAR Gala Los Angeles 2022 at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California. Known for her roles in the television series “Heroes” and “Nashville,” Panettiere passed away, as confirmed by her representative to NPR.
Her father stated, “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.”
Panettiere began her acting career as a child, appearing in commercials at just 11 months old. Her career blossomed as she starred in soap operas, TV series, and movies, including “Remember the Titans,” “Normal,” and “Scream.” She gained wide recognition for her portrayal of Juliette Barnes, a country music star in “Nashville,” a role she felt mirrored her own life closely.
“I stopped being able to tell where the character started and where, you know, I ended like we were just mushed together,” she shared with NPR’s All Things Considered.
Her performance in “Nashville” earned her two Golden Globe nominations in the Best Supporting Actress category in 2013 and 2014.
In her memoir, This is Me: A Reckoning, released earlier this year, Panettiere opened up about her desire for a “normal childhood” and her struggles with addiction and depression. She also discussed the impact these struggles had on her relationship with her daughter and her partner, former Ukrainian boxing world champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Panettiere expressed that she wrote the book to share her experiences and challenges, hoping to help others navigate similar situations. “I was trying to fit into two different worlds. One was a very adult world, which was the industry, and one was the world of just being a normal kid, and [I] struggled with both in different ways,” she revealed to NPR’s Sacha Pfeiffer. Her longing to blend into both worlds was a constant challenge.
Hayden Panettiere passed away in South Carolina at the age of 36.