Hayden Panettiere Has Tragically Died

Hayden Panettiere has tragically died age 36, according to a report by ABC News (US). The news was announced on August 17 through a statement released to the outlet by Panettiere’s father.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Skip Panettiere said in a statement. “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.” He also asked privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss”. She is survived by her daughter who was born in 2014.

There are no more details immediately available about her passing.

The news comes as a shock to her fans, who have followed the American actor’s career and life since her first role as a child star in 1996, though she’s best-known for her roles in series like Nashville and Heroes and films such as Remember the Titans. Her death comes just three months after Panettiere released her first memoir titled This Is Me: A Reckoning, which was released on May 18, 2026, where she wrote about her journey through child stardom and the many challenges she has faced along the way with unflinching honesty.

Not only did she walk readers through the difficulty of being in the public eye from a young age but she opened up about the brutal tabloid scrutiny she has been under since she was a minor, as well as her journey through recovery from substance abuse and domestic abuse. She also spoke about the intense grief she experienced after the sudden passing of her younger brother Jansen, 28, in 2023. She had previously spoken about the experience in an interview, telling People: “He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him… When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul.”

The outpouring of love and devastation from fans has been immediate, with comment sections flooded with broken heart emojis and expressions of love for a star who we all grew up watching on our screens. This is a breaking story and we will update it as more information comes to light.