Hayden Panettiere, a two-time Golden Globe-nominated actor who had performed on screen since she was a toddler, died Sunday in Greenville, S.C.
Panettiere, who earned acclaim for her roles as a cheerleader with supernatural powers on the TV show “Heroes” and as a troubled country music diva on the show “Nashville,” was 36.
She spoke frankly about her struggles with fame, addiction and mental health and published a candid memoir, “This is Me: A Reckoning,” three months ago. In the book, she describes suffering from body dysmorphia for years because of harsh tabloid coverage.
Here is what we know about Panettiere’s death.
Emergency responders called
Paramedics responded to a 911 call regarding a reported cardiac arrest at an apartment complex, Judson Mill Lofts west of downtown Greenville, at approximately 1:51 p.m. Sunday, according to a statement from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.
Paramedics initiated “advanced cardiac life support measures,” but Panettiere could not be resuscitated, the statement read.
She was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.
Coroner’s investigation and autopsy
The coroner’s office completed an autopsy Monday, the statement read.
“At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,” the statement said.
The cause of death remains unknown “pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies,” according to the coroner.
The investigation is ongoing.
No signs of foul play, per police
The Greenville Police Department said in a statement that Panettiere was unresponsive when officers and paramedics arrived.
A preliminary investigation “has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances,” the statement reads.
Police said an acquaintance of Panettiere, who is unnamed, called 911.
Family mourns ‘our beloved Hayden’
The actor’s father, Alan Lee “Skip” Panettiere, a retired captain for the New York Fire Department, announced the actor’s death in a statement shared with The Times on Sunday.
“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,” his statement said.
Panettiere was born Aug. 21, 1989, in Palisades, N.Y. Her mother, Lesley Vogel, is an actor and producer.
Panettiere first appeared on screen at 11 months old, acting in a commercial. As a child, she voiced Princess Dot in the 1998 Pixar movie “A Bug’s Life” and played the young, football-obsessed fan and daughter of assistant coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) in the 2000 football drama “Remember the Titans,” which starred Denzel Washington.
She starred in the TV show “Heroes” as a cheerleader with superpowers. And on “Nashville,” she played a troubled country music star — a role for which she received two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress.
Panettiere gave birth to her daughter, with boxing champ Wladimir Klitschko, in 2014 and battled postpartum depression. She gave up custody in 2018, a decision she called “heartbreaking.”
In 2023, her younger brother and only sibling, Jansen Panettiere, died of heart complications. He had struggled with substance abuse and she got him into treatment, she told Us Magazine.
In the statement on Sunday, Panettiere’s father said the family asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Times staff writer Terry Castleman contributed to this report.
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