Hayden Panettiere, American actress who began her career as a child and developed a career in television and film, died this Sunday, August 16 at the age of 36. Her representative confirmed the news to ABC News and stated that, so far, the cause of death has not been established.
The roles that marked Hayden Panettiere’s career
One of Panettiere’s first recognitions came with her role as Sheryl Yoast in ‘Remember the Titans’, a film from 2000 in which she shared the screen with Denzel Washington.
Her breakthrough came later with the character Claire Bennet in ‘Heroes’, an NBC series in which she played a young woman with special abilities. Later, she took on the role of Juliette Barnes, a country music singer, in the musical drama ‘Nashville’, a performance for which she received several award nominations.
In film, she also appeared in ‘Raising Helen’, ‘Ice Princess’, ‘Scream 4’ and ‘Scream VI’. Additionally, she lent her voice to the video game ‘Until Dawn’.
The farewell message from her representative and her father’s request
After the news broke, her representative remembered Panettiere and highlighted the impact she had among those who knew her and those who followed her work.
“With deep sadness, we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible person, a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to everyone who knew her, and to the millions who saw her on screen,” the statement said.
The actress’s father requested privacy for their loved ones “while our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Hayden Panettiere’s family life and the loss of her brother
Panettiere was the mother of Kaya Klitschko, a daughter she had in 2014 with her ex-fiancé, the heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.
In February 2023, her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, passed away suddenly at 28 years old. The family announced in a statement at the time that the cause was related to cardiomegaly, that is, an enlargement of the heart, combined with complications in the aortic valve.
Later, Hayden spoke openly about the impact of that loss and the guilt she felt after her brother’s death, according to information published by TMZ.
Hayden Panettiere’s memoirs and her last public appearance
In May, Hayden Panettiere published an autobiographical book titled ‘This Is Me: A Reckoning’, in which she recounted aspects of her experience as a child star and addressed topics such as motherhood, mental health, and the death of her brother Jansen.
TMZ reported that, before the book’s release, the actress was seen accompanied by a friend at LaGuardia Airport in New York. The outlet noted that during that period she kept a low profile.
Andrés Felipe Bejarano Bejarano
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