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Hayden Panettiere, the actress who rose to fame as a child before becoming one of television’s most recognizable young stars, has died at 36.
Her representative confirmed her death to ABC News. Her father, Skip Panettiere, shared the heartbreaking news in a statement asking for privacy as the family comes to terms with the loss.
“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,” he said.
Her father asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Further details surrounding her death have not been released, and her cause of death has not yet been made public.
A career that began in childhood
Panettiere’s career started when she was still a child. She appeared on television in the 1990s, including roles on One Life to Live and Guiding Light, before making her film debut at just 9 years old as the voice of Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life.
She soon became a familiar face on both the big and small screens.
Her breakthrough came with Remember the Titans in 2000, followed by appearances in Ally McBeal, Malcolm in the Middle, Tiger Cruise and Ice Princess.
Hayden Panettiere arrives at a screening of Freestyle Releasing’s “Sharkwater Extinction” at the ArcLight Hollywood on January 31, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
Then came the role that made her an international star.
In 2006, Panettiere was cast as cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s Heroes, a role that quickly turned her into one of television’s biggest young stars.
She later played country singer Juliette Barnes on ABC’s Nashville, appearing throughout the show’s six-season run from 2012 to 2018.