Hayden Panettiere’s most notable roles might have been in Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise, but her performance in one small Disney movie also had quite the lasting impact on fans.
Following the news of Panettiere’s death at age 36 on Sunday, fans have flooded TikTok to pay tribute to the actress and her many beloved roles throughout her career. But her 2005 Disney movie Ice Princess, which saw her star opposite Michelle Trachtenberg (who died last year at age 39), appears to have struck a specific chord for many.
Video compilations of Trachtenberg and Panettiere’s characters, Casey Carlyle and Gen Harwood, respectively, have been circulating on social media Monday, with many fans acknowledging the film’s comforting nostalgia amid the tragedy.
“Our ice princesses are together again,” one fan wrote, while another person shared, “RIP to our ice princesses. This is the movie that inspired me to start figure skating and will always hold a special place in my heart.” Another fan also wrote in a video, “Now they will skate together on ice for eternity. RIP queens,” while one person added, “Hayden and Michelle 4ever loved and remembered by the girls who grew up watching Ice Princess.”
Ice Princess followed Casey, a brainy high school student, who gives up her path to Harvard to pursue her newfound dream of being a professional figure skater. Panettiere played Casey’s main rival-turned- supportive ally.
While it underperformed at the box office upon its release in 2005, the recent reactions from fans highlight how the film became a childhood touchstone for many older Gen Zers and younger millennials, especially women. The film’s empowering message about self-discovery and combining academics and athleticism also contributed to its impact on young girls at the time.
Both Panettiere’s and Trachtenberg’s unexpected deaths occurring at a young age and within two years of each other have come as a shock to Ice Princess fans, as they continue to remember both women on social media. “Can’t believe both of our ice princesses are gone,” another person wrote on TikTok.
Kim Cattrall, who played Tina Harwood, the pushy figure skating coach and mom in the film, also took a moment to pay tribute to Panettiere on Instagram, writing on Monday, “Rest in peace sweet Hayden. Gone far too soon.”
