Hayden Panettiere, the actress who rose to fame in Remember the Titans and later starred in Heroes and Nashville, has died at 36. She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, and officials have not released a cause of death. Her father described her as "an incredible light and a force of nature," and colleagues including Selma Blair and Melissa Barrera paid tribute. Panettiere had been open about struggles with addiction and depression and published a memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in May.
Hayden Panettiere Dead at 36: Daughter Survives; Colleagues and Fans Pay Tribute
Actor Hayden Panettiere pictured at the The 21st Annual Critics' Choice Awards in California. | C Flanigan/Getty Images
Hayden Panettiere, the actress known for her breakout child role in Remember the Titans and later as a star of the television series Heroes and Nashville, has died at 36. She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya. Officials have not disclosed a cause of death.
Flooding in northern Indianapolis, Ind. | Indianapolis Fire Department via AP
"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden," her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement. "She was an incredible light and a force of nature."
Panettiere began her career in commercials and on the soap opera One Life to Live, and she earned early recognition at age 10 for her role in the film Remember the Titans. She later became widely known for her roles on the NBC drama Heroes and the country-music series Nashville, and appeared in entries of the Scream film franchise. In May, she published a candid memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she detailed struggles with addiction and depression.
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Tributes and Reaction
Friends, colleagues and fans posted messages of grief and remembrance. Actress Selma Blair wrote, "I love you. Don't be gone. Please," while Scream co-star Melissa Barrera posted, "Rest in peace sweet Hayden," alongside a broken-heart emoji. Admirers across social media reflected on her long career and the vulnerability she shared about her mental-health challenges.
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If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental-health issues, please seek help right away. In the United States you can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; international readers should consult local emergency resources.
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