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Hayden Panettiere, ‘Heroes’ and ‘Scream’ Star, Dies at 36
By Pat Saperstein
Urmimala Banerjee
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Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles on “Heroes” and in “Scream 4” and “Scream VI,” died on Sunday. Her rep confirmed her death to ABC News. A cause of death was not immediately known.
“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,” her rep told ABC.
Panettiere had been on screen since 1994, at age 5, starting on soap operas “One Life to Live” — appearing on 27 episodes — and later, “Guiding Light,” starring on 45. In 2000, she landed a breakout role in “Remember the Titans,” and in 2006, she joined the cast of “Heroes” as Claire Bennett, portraying the cheerleader in 73 episodes of the NBC drama.
Panettiere later earned two Golden Globe nominations for playing Juliette Barnes on “Nashville.” She starred in 128 episodes from 2012 to 2018.
On the film side, she is most known for her role as Kirby in 2011’s “Scream 4.” She became such a fan favorite that she was then asked to return for 2023’s “Scream VI.”
Panettiere published her first book, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” in May of this year. In it, she shared many stories from her life in the limelight, including details of her troubled relationship with her mother and abuse she endured through her life in Hollywood.
She had also been open through the years about her struggle with alcohol and drugs. In 2020, she spent time at a rehab facility and got sober. In 2023, her younger brother Jansen died unexpectedly of a heart condition at 28. “When something that massive has happened to you, you really learn to pick your fights and just not let the little things upset you,” she told People magazine in 2024 about the death. “Because once something so horrific, so deep, so catastrophic happens in your life, there’s not much that can really rock you.”
She made headlines following the People interview, fans drew concerns over her slurred speech, something she later spoke about via an Instagram post. “I hadn’t slept for two days prior to the shoot due to one of my dogs who was recovering from an emergency surgical procedure,” she shared at the time, also responding to claims about medication she may be on. “I was exhausted. My rep stopped the interview early as it became obvious that I was fading — especially as the subject matter became heavier… Grief looks different on everyone. Whether or not I am on medication is none of anyone’s business and is between me and my doctor.”
She continued, “Mental health is so important, and I hope those reading this now understand that what you say hiding behind a computer screen can have a detrimental impact on someone.”
Read More About: Hayden Panettiere, Hayden Panettiere Death, Scream Heroes
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