Hayden Panettiere, ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ star, dies at 36, family says

U.S. media outlets reported on Sunday (August 16, 2026) that actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in the television series “Heroes” and “Nashville,” has died at the age of 36. The reports cite a statement from her father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere.

“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,” the family statement said, as quoted by ABC.

The cause of her death has not been reported. Her agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Ms. Panettiere began her career as a child actor, gaining recognition for voicing the young princess ant Dot in Pixar’s 1998 animated film “A Bug’s Life.” Her work on the film’s read-along album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album for Children.

She rose to fame playing Claire Bennet, a high school cheerleader with regenerative powers, on NBC’s serialized superhero drama “Heroes,” which premiered in 2006. She also appeared in the 2000 football drama “Remember the Titans,” starring Denzel Washington.

For her role as Juliette Barnes in the musical drama “Nashville,” Ms. Panettiere received two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, in 2013 and 2014. She was also part of the “Scream” horror franchise.

Her most recent onscreen appearance was in the psychological thriller “Sleepwalker,” released in the U.S. in January 2026, in which she played a grieving mother affected by sleepwalking episodes, according to the website IMDb.

Ms. Panettiere’s brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 at age 28 from complications related to an enlarged heart and an aortic-valve condition, according to a family statement released to U.S. media later that year.