Hayden Panettiere's death has rocked the entertainment world, after the former child star and Heroes actress was found unresponsive inside an Airbnb in South Carolina on Sunday.
"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden," her rep told ****** O!. "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."
Hayden passed away on Sunday in South Carolina (@ FilmMagic)
Authorities arrived on the scene just before 2 p.m. on Sunday after an acquaintance of Hayden's called 911. She was ****** ounced dead shortly thereafter, with police stating that they found no signs of "foul play" or "suspicious circumstances" during their preliminary investigation.
Hayden's life in the spotlight and behind the scenes was far from easy, with the actress battling loss, addiction and trauma over the years. Join ****** O! as we uncover the heartbreaking tragedies she endured before her death at 36.

#hayden #carolina #heroes #airbnb

Brian Hickerson has deleted his Instagram account amid backlash over Hayden Panettiere's death.
The on-again, off-again boyfriend of the late actor, who died on 16 August of a reported drug overdose, shuttered his account on Monday after people commented negatively on his latest posts.
"Sorry this page isn't available," the message reads. "The link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed."
Hickerson previously boasted 2.8K followers.
Panettiere had travelled from her home in Los Angeles to Greenville, South Carolina, for a weekend trip with Hickerson, TMZ reported.
Police confirmed an "acquaintance of Ms Panettiere placed the 911 call", although they did not name the individual.

#hickerson

A neighbor from the luxury apartment complex where actress Hayden Panettiere was found dead in Greenville, South Carolina, has shared insight into the hours that came after authorities arrived on the scene and discovered her body.
The neighbor told Page Six that no one knew she had been staying in the apartment, and suspected that it was an Airbnb rental.
Hayden was found dead inside a luxury apartment complex in South Carolina (@ Getty Images)
"I was shocked, as I'm sure everyone in Greenville was, to find out she was here," they said. "I don't know that she was there long, and I'm not sure she even ever left the apartment. I can only speak for myself, but you know, I never saw her, [and] I haven't spoken to anyone else that said they have."
"It's still kind of jarring to hear that someone of her stature was here and then that tragically happened to her," the neighbor continued, adding that they knew something terrible had happened when the coroner vehicle arrived on Sunday.

#apartment #hayden #greenville #found

Millions of fans are mourning Hayden Panettiere after the heartbreaking news that she passed away at the age of 36 on August 16. With new details emerging, it's been revealed that she traveled from Los Angeles to South Carolina just one day before her sudden death, spending her final hours inside an apartment where emergency crews would later rush to save her.
Hayden Panettiere struggled with addictions to opioids and alcohol (@ Getty)
The "Heroes" and "Nashville" actress, 36, was found unresponsive Sunday afternoon inside a residence at the Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville. She had been temporarily staying at the property, which Page Six confirmed was an Airbnb.
Panettiere had flown to South Carolina on Saturday with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson. Sources told TMZ that Hickerson and his brother were living in the apartment, but it's unclear who was inside when Panettiere was found.
A neighbor told Page Six she appeared to spend most, if not all, of her brief stay inside the unit. They said they were "shocked" to find out she was there. "I don't know that she was there long, and I'm not sure she even ever left the apartment, they told the outlet.

#panettiere #inside #carolina #page

Actor Connie Britton hopes that her "Nashville" co-star, Hayden Panettiere, is finally at peace.
Panettiere, who was best known for her roles in "Heroes," "Nashville" and "Remember the **** ans," died Sunday at the age of 36, her representative and father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed. She died just days before her 37th birthday on August 21.
Britton, left, and Panettiere speak at the "Nashville" panel during the 2012 Summer TCA Tour on July 27, 2012, in Beverly Hills. Frederick M. Brown via Getty Images
Panettiere was **** ounced dead at the scene in a Greenville, S.C., apartment, local authorities said on Monday. The official cause and manner of her death are under investigation, the coroner's office reported.
Britton, who co-starred with Panettiere on the ABC musical soap opera from 2012 to 2018, reacted to the news in an Instagram post Monday.

#panettiere #Monday

Narcan was reportedly found at the scene of Hayden Panettiere's death.
The drug, which is typically used to reverse an opioid overdose, was found on a mattress in the apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, where the former child star died, TMZ reported.
Panettiere had travelled from her home in Los Angeles to Greenville, South Carolina, for a weekend trip with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson.
The Nashville alum died after an "overdose", according to 911 dispatch audio obtained by Page Six. Panettiere was **** ounced dead at 2.32pm on 16 August. She was 36 years old.
The actor had been open about her struggles with opioid addiction and alcohol. She told People in July 2022 that her addiction spiralled so far "out of control" at one point that she "couldn't live" without them.
She revealed that she was first offered "happy pills" prior to walking red carpets when she was 15 years old.

#opioid #died

Speaking with EW in September 2025, Hayden Panettiere reflected on her daughter's role in reshaping her views about her own work.
"I'm proud of what I have accomplished in my career," the Heroes star said. "I think my daughter's really proud of me, and when she gets to watch certain things that I'm in, it means the world to me."
Panettiere died on Aug. 16 at age 36.
The outpouring of love from Hayden Panettiere's famous friends and collaborators following her death at 36 shows how loved she was by her peers. But the opinion of Panettiere's young daughter, Kaya, naturally meant the most to the Nashville star.
When Panettiere, who died Sunday, sat down for career-spanning interview with Entertainment Weekly in September 2025, the conversation started with her early roots on the soap operas Guiding Light and One Life to Live — a pair of performances that kicked off when she was only 5 years old. When asked how she reflects on her child stardom since having a daughter of her own, Panettiere went deep into contemplation.

#heroes

Hayden Panettiere and on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson may have been closer than people think before the actress was found dead on Sunday, August 16, at age 36.
A source close to Hickerson told TMZ on Monday, August 17, that he and the Nashville alum were together while she was promoting her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, which was released in May.
However, according to the source, Panettiere was advised by her team to distance herself from him because he was "bad for business" while she was doing press for the book.
A separate TMZ source close to Hickerson — with whom she's had a toxic, on-off relationship with since 2018 — claimed they've been together consistently for years and were seen together multiple times in the last year in both L.A. and South Carolina.
According to the outlet, Panettiere allegedly became so close with Hickerson she was considered part of his family in recent years.

#brian

Fans and friends mourned the unexpected death of "Heroes" and "Nashville" actress Hayden Panettiere Monday.
Her connection to fashion and beauty included starring roles in campaigns for Neutrogena and the shoe brand Candies, and Panettiere also attended fashion week several times throughout her career, made her mark at the Met Gala and was a guest judge on "Project Runway."
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#panettiere #fashion

Hayden Panettiere's final Instagram post captured a playful moment with a friend just three weeks before the Heroes and Nashville actress died at age 36.
Panettiere shared the black-and-white photo on July 27, posing alongside director and photographer Randall Slavin. "Good times and good friends randallslavin ✨," she wrote, according to PEOPLE.
The image showed Panettiere with her hands on Slavin's shoulder, one eye closed and her tongue out as he wrapped an arm around her. After news of her death emerged, Slavin reshared the photograph to his Instagram Stories with the short message, "Peace be with you, H."
Panettiere's family confirmed her death on Aug. 16. She had spent much of 2026 back in the public eye, releasing her memoir, promoting new screen work and speaking candidly in interviews about her life after decades of growing up in entertainment.
The July 27 photo was the final post visible on Panettiere's Instagram feed before her death. There was only the brief reference to good times and friendship and a tag for Slavin.

#july

They met at a book launch party in Los Angeles. And, as the story goes, the actress peered up at the boxer. Hayden Panettiere and Wladimir Klitschko's relationship was marked by safety and struggles.
"You're huge," the actress told the boxer, the 6-foot-6 champion from Ukraine.
"You're tiny," Klitschko replied to the New York actress who is about five feet in height.
So began a relationship between the heavyweight and the featherweight, a couple who had a presence at championship fights and galas but struggled outside the limelight.
They got engaged but never married. Had a daughter but separated. Remained in contact as they co-parented and as Panettiere opened up about their struggles and struggles of her own.

#actress #struggles #you 're #wladimir

Hayden Panettiere wasn't afraid to get candid about her ups and downs, and what they cost her, before her untimely death.
On August 16, 2026, the Bring It On: All or Nothing actress was found unresponsive at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, having suffered from an apparent overdose and cardiac arrest, days away from her 37th birthday.
In the months before her passing, she released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she opened up about her battle with addiction as well as postpartum depression, and her relationship with her daughter.
Hayden in September 2024 (@ Getty Images)
In 2018, the Nashville alum relinquished custody of her daughter Kaya, then around four years old, in an effort to focus on rehabilitating from her struggles with addiction and postpartum depression.

#addiction #postpartum #august #nothing

Megyn Kelly is weighing in following the death of Hayden Panettiere.
Kelly took to her eponymous podcast on Monday, August 17, following the news of Hayden's death at 36, to speculate on the circumstances surrounding her passing.
"I am not surprised to read the news about Hayden Panettiere at all. I am sad. I lament the loss of this young woman, but I don't think it is a pattern we are ever going to correct for because there will always be parents who shove their child into the entertainment industry at too young and too precarious an age and don't have the skills or the desire to rescue them from the fallout that inevitably comes," Kelly, 55, said.
As In Touch previously reported, Hayden was ******* ounced dead after Greenville, South Carolina, officials responded to a 911 call on Sunday, August 16. According to audio obtained by People from the dispatch call on Sunday, responders were called to the apartment after a report of an apparent overdose and cardiac arrest. The Greenville Police Department is investigating the cause of death of the Remember the ******* ans star.
Kelly continued to point the finger at Hayden's parents, Lesley Vogel and Alan "Skip" Lee Panettiere, calling them "enablers" in the years following her rise to fame, with the actress — who shared daughter Kaya, 11, with her ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko — admitting to suffering from both postpartum depression and substance abuse over the last decade. Hayden also struggled following the death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, who died in February 2023 at the age of 28 due to an undiagnosed heart condition.

#august

When a famous person dies unexpectedly, people who enjoyed their work often feel the loss deeply. The news of Hayden Panettiere's death at 36 has particularly hit manymillennials who grew up watching her performances in way that can be hard to articulate.
Therapists and mental health experts say that reaction is completely understandable, and it says something meaningful about the generation that grew up with her.
Buzz: Heartfelt Tributes Flood In Following Death Of Hayden Panettiere At 36
"I hear this from clients all the time ― that there is this confusion about why they're crying over someone they've never even met," Gina Moffa, a grief therapist and author of "Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting Go: A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss," told HuffPost. "We have all felt it at some point with a favorite public figure. And what I say is this: Your brain doesn't actually care whether the relationship was mutual. It bonds with what's familiar, what's constant, what's shown up for you again and again, even if that showing up only ever went one direction over a TV screen or a radio."
The clinical term that helps explain what many people are feeling right now is a parasocial relationship ― a one-sided bond that the brain forms with a public figure through repeated exposure. But experts say the term doesn't entirely capture what these connections actually feel like from the inside.

#hayden #death #people #public

Hayden Panettiere was a mom of one when she died at the age of 36 on Aug. 16.
Known for her roles in Remember the ******* ans, Heroes, Nashville and Scream, the late actress welcomed her daughter, Kaya, with her then-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko in December 2014. The former couple broke up four years later, with Panettiere eventually allowing Klitschko to have full custody of their daughter amid her struggles with mental health and substance abuse.
After Klitschko gained full custody, he relocated to Ukraine with Kaya. Despite living apart, Panettiere later wrote that she had an "incredibly strong" relationship with her daughter in her 2026 memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning.
"My daughter, Kaya, has lived with her dad, Wladimir Klitschko, since 2018," she wrote. "Not being under the same roof with her every day has been the most gut-wrenching experience of my life, and it's hard to describe the layers of emotion — including sadness, resentment, and anger — I've felt because of it."
Ahead, look back at five sweet snapshots of Panettiere and Klitschko with their daughter, Kaya.

#panettiere

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 06: Hayden Panettiere attends the world premiere of Paramount's "Scream VI" at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on March 06, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Tributes are coming in from showbiz friends and colleagues of Hayden Panettiere, the Nashville, Scream and Heroes actress who died on Sunday at 36.
A representative for Panettiere issued a statement on behalf of the actress' father, Skip, to ABC 7 News in Los Angeles on Sunday, about his daughter's death. Panettiere was in Greenville, S.C., when the city's police department and EMTs responded to a call at 1:51 about "an unresponsive female."
Hayden Panettiere, 'Heroes,' 'Nashville' And 'Scream' Star, Dies At 36
'Upon arrival, medical ****** istance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was ****** ounced deceased at the scene. The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner's Office," a statement from Greenville police reads.

#police #march #nashville #sunday

Hayden Panettiere reportedly carried intense guilt over living apart from her daughter, Kaya, even after explaining that she had not been in the right mental state to raise her at the time. An insider claimed the custody decision continued to trouble the actress, who wrote candidly about motherhood, postpartum depression, and addiction in her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning."
"Hayden's been racked with guilt about not being the mother she wanted for her child and allowing her ex-fiancé to bring up Kaya," the source told the Daily Mail. "She didn't believe she was in the right mental state to be a good mother at the time. It bothered her greatly."
The guilt reportedly existed alongside other painful relationships in Panettiere's life, including an estrangement from her mother and the abuse she said she endured during her turbulent romance with Brian Hickerson.
Panettiere recalled that Kaya's 2014 birth quickly became a frightening medical crisis. Doctors reportedly declared a "code crimson" emergency after Panettiere's blood would not clot following a C-section. She underwent a three-hour operation and later learned that her uterus had become infected. The traumatic delivery was followed by an equally difficult emotional period.
Panettiere described bonding with her newborn as an "insurmountable task," admitting that she "felt nothing" toward her daughter. She characterized the experience as "a total blackout of emotion."

#daughter

Former child star Hayden Panettiere has died at 36. While the actor is perhaps best known for her roles in TV series like Heroes, where she played an indestructible cheerleader, and Nashville, where she portrayed a rising country star, to horror fans, she'll forever be known as one of the Scream franchise's most iconic final girls, Kirby Reed.
Scream 4 marked Panettiere's first appearance in the film franchise. Her character was a cool Woodsboro High School student who sported a pixie cut and could rattle off horror film trivia. Her passion for horror was central to the movie's final act, in which her character is caught by Ghostface and forced to play one of his twisted games. Ultimately, she is stabbed by one of the Ghostface killers and left for dead.
Kirby's fate was never revealed in that movie, and fans always hoped that she would return to the franchise in a sequel. In 2022, the long-anticipated Scream premiered as both a sequel and a reboot of the franchise, but Panettiere did not appear in the film. Her fate was revealed through an Easter egg in the movie, when a character is looking at a YouTube page and an interview with Kirby, a survivor of the Woodsboro stabbing, appears.
Hayden Panettiere and Emma Roberts in Scream 4.
"We wanted to answer the Kirby question in some way from the beginning," co-director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin told Nerdist in 2022. "We just didn't really know what that would be. There was a period during the pre-production where we thought we might be able to even get her in this movie. We had a zoom with her and she was lovely. And she was like, 'I love Kirby, I'd love to be in it.'"

#film #movie #hayden

Brittany Snow paid tribute to her on-screen sister Hayden Panettiere
The pair both appeared on Guiding Light as child actors in the late '90s
Snow said Panettiere, who died Aug. 16 at 36, was "always supportive, curious, funny and brave"
Brittany Snow is looking back at her special bond with Hayden Panettiere after the actress's death at 36.
Snow, 40, began her career on Guiding Light, where she played Daisy Lemay from 1998 to 2001. Panettiere also appeared on the show from 1996 to 2000 as Lizzie Spaulding. Daisy was Lizzie's stepsister through her stepfather Jim Lemay, played by Anthony Addabbo.

#panettiere #brittany #appeared

Hayden Panettiere's costars and collaborators are taking to social media to pay tributes to the actress following her death at age 36. Representatives for the two-time Golden Globe nominated star of such TV series and films as Heroes, Remember the ******* ans, and Nashville confirmed that the actress passed away on Sunday. No cause of death has been revealed.
"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden," Panettiere's father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement. "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."
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#actress #death #time #representatives

Someone who lived in the same building where Hayden Panettiere was found dead on Sunday, August 16, is shedding light on what the scene was like following her tragic death.
Speaking to NBC and CBS affiliate WYFF, Micah Lee — who lives at the Judson Mill Lofts, where Panettiere was ******* ounced dead at age 36 — said there was "just lots of commotion" after she was found unresponsive, adding that it was "just busy."
"It's definitely crazy, especially everybody is like here and talking about it this morning, so it's definitely surreal that it was right down the hall," Lee said. "I think it's crazy, especially someone so well known."
"It was yesterday afternoon, and just a bunch of commotion in the hallway — the halls are pretty hollow so noise echoes throughout, and I had just heard about someone collapsing and then afterwards there was talk about cardiac arrest," Lee said, referencing reports that first responders and EMS arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest.
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

#definitely

Hayden Panettiere left a lasting impression during what became her final public appearance.
The actress looked stunning in an all-black outfit while promoting her memoir in May, 2026. She spoke openly about her life, motherhood, and the struggles she had faced growing up in Hollywood.
Just months after releasing her memoir "This Is Me: A Reckoning", Hayden Panettiere died at 36. The late actress spoke about her relationship with her daughter and postpartum depression.
Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA
Panettiere appeared at a panel discussion in West Hollywood on May 26, 2026. She was joined by actress Alyshia Ochse while promoting her 320-page memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning." The book had just been released on May 19.

#memoir #hayden #promoting #spoke

Hayden Panettiere reflected on finding peace and healing while reconnecting with her late brother's spirit in her hometown
Her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning detailed her return to her hometown in Rockland County, N.Y., after years of hardship
Hayden described her brother Jansen's vibrant presence through his artwork displayed in their father's home
Hayden Panettiere reflected on the healing effects of returning to her hometown and reconnecting with her late brother's "spirit" before her sudden death.
The Ice Princess star, who died on Sunday, Aug. 16, at age 36, got candid about revisiting the place where she grew up in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, released in May. During her time back home, the actress wrote that she was able to fully "rest" and connect with the memory of her late brother Jansen Panettiere following his death at age 28 in February 2023.

#panettiere #reckoning #reconnecting #spirit

The coroner's office overseeing the autopsy of TV and film star Hayden Panettiere, who died on Sunday in South Carolina, released a statement on Monday indicating that there were no signs of trauma found on her body.
On Sunday at around 1:50 p.m. local time, Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive inside a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. Officials on the 911 call were reportedly heard discussing an "overdose" and "cardiac arrest" around the time of Panettiere's death, according to a report on Monday in Page Six.
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"Heartbroken": Hayden Panettiere's Former Co-Stars, Hollywood Friends and Collaborators Respond to Her Death

#hayden #sunday

Alexa PenaVega is reflecting on the challenges of growing up in Hollywood after the death of Hayden Panettiere
PenaVega shared a heartfelt tribute to Panettiere, Michelle Trachtenberg and Daveigh Chase, all of whom were child stars who passed in the last two years
She emphasized the unique bond and struggles shared by child actors navigating fame at a young age
Alexa PenaVega is reflecting on the realities of growing up in Hollywood following the death of fellow former child star Hayden Panettiere.
PenaVega, 37, shared a heartfelt tribute to Panettiere, who died on Aug. 16 at age 36, on Monday, Aug. 17, remembering her alongside actresses Michelle Trachtenberg and Daveigh Chase, who also grew up working in the entertainment industry.

#panettiere #shared #hollywood

News of Hayden Panettiere's death on Aug. 16 was shocking to fans who had watched her grow up as a vibrant presence onscreen in Remember the ******* ans, Heroes and more.
The actress, who died of an apparent overdose, sadly follows several other young stars whose work defined the early aughts, but didn't get to grow old. At only 39, Panettiere's Ice Princess costar Michelle Trachtenberg died of complications from diabetes mellitus. The Famous Jett Jackson star, Lee Thompson Young, committed suicide at age 29, while Aaron Carter died of an accidental drowning while under the influence.
Ahead, we remember some of the child stars from the early 2000s, who died before they turned 40.
01 of 09
Hayden Panettiere
Credit: Munawar Hosain/Fotos International/Getty Images

#heroes

Police are investigating the sudden death of Hayden Panettiere, star of TV and film, after being found unresponsive at her South Carolina home. NBC's Steve Patterson reports for TODAY.

#patterson

Watch: Hayden Panettiere on her career and growing up in the spotlight
Tributes have been paid to actress Hayden Panettiere, star of the US TV shows Heroes and Nashville, following her death at the age of 36.
In a statement, her father Skip Panettiere said: "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."
The details surrounding her death were not immediately available, but police in Greenville, South Carolina, said a "preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances".

#hayden

Hayden Panettiere, who has died at 36, spent most of her life in front of the camera.
The actor appeared in her first commercial at just 11 months old, then was cast in the soap opera One Life to Live when she was 4. As an adult, she became a primetime TV star with Heroes and Nashville.
Panettiere's father, Skip, announced the actor's death in a statement provided to ABC News on Sunday. "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," his statement said.
The cause of death has not yet been announced. Her publicist, Kasey Kitchen, told NBC News, "There's an investigation ongoing. We should know more tomorrow."
From an animated favorite to horror films and sports movies, Panettiere built a wide-ranging résumé over more than three decades. Here are seven of her most memorable roles.

#statement #live #heroes

Tributes have been pouring in to honor Hayden Panettiere after her death. The actress, 36, was best known for her roles in films like Remember the ****** ans, and Bring It on: All or Nothing, and in TV shows like Nashville and Heroes. Her death is being investigated by South Carolina's Greenville Police Department after an apparent overdose.
"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," said her father, Skip Panettiere, in a statement to Rolling Stone provided by the actress' rep. "We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."
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Hayden Panettiere's Death Under Investigation After Apparent Overdose
Hayden Panettiere Once Compared Herself to 'Finding Nemo's' Dory: I 'Keep Swimming, Even When Face to Face With a Bunch of Sharks'

#hayden