‘Heroes’ & ‘Nashville’ Star Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36 After Apparent Overdose

Meaghan Darwish Mon, August 17, 2026 at 12:52 PM UTC

0

Hayden Pannettiere dies at 36 - ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images

UPDATE (08/17/26 8:52 a.m. ET): New details about the shocking death of Hayden Panettiere have been revealed.

According to TMZ, a friend of the Heroes and Nashville actress reportedly called 911 on Sunday afternoon. Emergency workers responded to a “cardiac arrest” call for an “unresponsive female,” and Panettiere was found deceased in her South Carolina home.

Paramedics reportedly attempted to resuscitate Panettiere using “advanced cardiac life support,” including breathing tubes and heart rhythm monitoring, and performed chest compressions. Panettiere was reportedly declared dead at around 2:30 p.m. local time.

Per the outlet, police claim there were no signs of foul play and the circumstances of her death did not appear suspicious. An autopsy will be performed to determine her official cause of death. Panettiere’s family has not commented on the new reports.

ORIGINAL STORY (08/16/26 11:12 p.m. ET):

Hayden Panettiere has died. The actress, who is best known for her roles in hit TV shows such as Heroes and Nashville, was 36 years old.

The news was confirmed by Panettiere’s rep, who released a statement to ABC News, which reads, “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.”

Advertisement

According to TMZ, Panettiere died earlier Sunday, August 16. Panettiere was best known for playing cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s former series Heroes and opposite Connie Britton in the country music drama Nashville.

Panettiere was born in 1989 and began her career as a child model and soap opera actress, starting with early projects like One Life to Liveand Guiding Light. Her early career also included voiceover work in A Bug’s Lifeand Dinosaur before going on to appear in Ally McBeal. Ultimately, Panettiere went on to star in various films, including Remember the Titans alongside Will Patton and Denzel Washington, Ice Princess, alongside the late Michelle Trachtenberg, and Bring It On: All or Nothing.

Dean Handler / © NBC / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Her biggest breakthrough occurred with Heroes and eventually Nashville. Other mainstream projects of Panettiere’s included I Love You, Beth Cooper, Scream 4, Raising Helen, and Racing Stripes. In 2011, she played Amanda Knox in Lifetime’s film Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy.

And she also starred in Tiger Cruise, a Disney Channel Original film, alongside her real-life brother Jansen Panettiere and Bill Pullman. As some fans may recall, Panettiere’s brother Jansen died in 2023 at the age of 28 from aortic valve complications that arose from cardiomegaly, otherwise known as an enlarged heart.

Panettiere leaves behind one daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, whom she shared with her ex, Wladimir Klitschko. She is survived by her parents, Lesley Vogel and Skip Panettiere.

Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”