Panettiere earned two Golden Globe nominations in 2013 and 2014 for her role on the television drama “Nashville.”
American actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in “Scream” and “Nashville,” died at 36 in Greenville, South Carolina, her family said Sunday, Aug. 16.
Police found Panettiere unresponsive at an apartment complex and pronounced her dead at the scene. Authorities said her death is under investigation, with no signs of foul play.
An excerpt from a 911 call showed medics telling a dispatcher they were responding to a reported overdose at the address. They also attempted to revive an unresponsive woman.Panettiere’s death came only months after the release of her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” in May.
In the book, she discussed her childhood as an actor, the difficult birth of her daughter in 2014, postpartum depression and alcohol addiction. Her father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere, described her as a powerful presence who brought love and happiness to people around her and to millions of viewers.
Panettiere began acting as a child. She gained early recognition for voicing Dot, the young princess ant, in Pixar’s 1998 animated film “A Bug’s Life.” Her work on the film’s read-along album earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album for Children.
She became widely known in 2006 after being cast as Claire Bennet, a high school cheerleader with superpowers, on NBC’s hit series “Heroes.” She also appeared in the 2000 football drama “Remember the Titans,” starring Denzel Washington.
Panettiere earned two Golden Globe nominations in 2013 and 2014 for her role as country music star Juliette Barnes on the television drama “Nashville.” Her most recent screen appearance was in “Sleepwalker,” a psychological thriller released in January 2026. She played a grieving mother dealing with sleepwalking episodes.
Friends and colleagues in Hollywood expressed shock and sadness following her death. Actress Viola Davis, who worked with Panettiere in the 2014 film “Custody,” remembered her in a social media tribute, describing her as an “old, wise soul” with a deep heart.
