Actress Hayden Panettiere has died at age 36. She was found unresponsive at her home in Greenville, South Carolina on Sunday, August 17, after an acquaintance reported that she was in cardiac arrest and police responded to the scene.
An autopsy completed by the Greenville County coroner's office found no signs of trauma, though the cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further testing. She is survived by her 11 year old daughter, Kaya Klitschko.
Panettiere's career began in childhood and spanned three decades, including voicing Dot in Pixar's A Bug's Life in 1998 and appearing alongside Denzel Washington in Remember the Titans in 2000. She went on to play Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes and spent six seasons as Juliette Barnes in Nashville, a role that earned her two Golden Globe nominations. Her film credits also include Scream 4, Scream VI, and Bring It On: All or Nothing.
Her father, Skip Panettiere, shared the news in a family statement. It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden, he said. Tributes followed from across the industry, including from actress Viola Davis, who described her as an old, wise soul with such a deep heart, and said she had seen this beautiful Phoenix rising from the ashes in her.