Hayden Panettiere, the beloved actress who entertained audiences across television and film for over three decades, has died at the age of 36. Over the course of her too-brief career, she played Heroes‘ “save the cheerleader, save the world” Claire Bennett and Kirby Reed in the Scream franchise, and voiced Kairi in the video game series Kingdom Hearts.
Born on August 21, 1989, Panettiere had her first on-screen acting role before she was a year old, in a Playskool TV ad. She landed her first major roles in soap operas, including One Life to Live and Guiding Light, and went on to appear on series like Ally McBeal, Malcolm in the Middle, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and films like Remember the Titans and Racing Stripes. She became a household name when she debuted as Claire Bennett on the superhero serial Heroes, becoming the show’s breakout character.
That fame translated into big-screen roles, including Bring It On: All Or Nothing, I Love You Beth Cooper, and the tomboyish Kirby Reed in the slasher sequel Scream 4, which became one of her most iconic roles. After Heroes‘ conclusion, she starred in the country music drama Nashville as rising star Juliette Barnes. She was also a noted voice actress, playing Princess Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life and lending her voice to the hit video game series Kingdom Hearts and the acclaimed horror game Until Dawn.
Panettiere took a lengthy hiatus from acting following the birth of her daughter, amid struggles with addiction and postpartum depression. In recent years, Panettiere reprised her role as Kirby in Scream and Scream VI. Her final screen role was the thriller Sleepwalker, which was released earlier this year.
Panettiere was a devoted activist for a number of causes, including environmentalism, preventing spousal abuse, and statehood for Washington D.C. Her representatives shared a statement following her death: “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.” No cause of death has yet been given. Panettiere was predeceased by her brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, who died at age 28 in 2023, and is survived by her daughter. Collider extends our sympathies to Panettiere’s friends and family.
