Hollywood actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36. Her representative confirmed the news on Sunday. Her father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere, also shared a statement mourning the actress. “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 statement said. The family asked for privacy as they process the loss. No cause of death has been announced. Her publicist said authorities were investigating the death. A career that began in childhood Panettiere started working as a child actor and built a career across television, film and voice acting. She became widely known as Claire Bennet, the cheerleader with regenerative powers in NBC’s Heroes. The role propelled her to fame after the series debuted in 2006. She later played country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville. The performance earned her two Golden Globe nominations. Panettiere also performed her own songs for the series. Her film credits included Remember the Titans, Raising Helen, Ice Princess and the Scream franchise. She also voiced Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life. Her latest screen appearance came in the 2026 psychological thriller Sleepwalker. Panettiere released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in May. The book explored postpartum depression, addiction and recovery, trauma, domestic abuse and loss. Personal struggles and family loss Panettiere spoke openly in recent years about alcoholism, substance abuse and postpartum depression. She was the mother of Kaya, her daughter with former fiancé and heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. Her family had already endured another major tragedy. Her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 at age 28. His family said complications from an enlarged heart and an aortic valve condition caused his death. Speaking about Jansen in 2024, Panettiere said the tragedy changed how she viewed everyday problems. “When something that massive has happened to you, you really learn to pick your fights and just not let the little things upset you. Because once something so horrific, so deep, so catastrophic happens in your life, there’s not much that can really rock you.” Interview sparked concern in 2024 A video interview that year also prompted concern among viewers about Panettiere’s speech and wellbeing. She later addressed the reaction on Instagram. Panettiere said she had not slept for two days because one of her dogs was recovering from emergency surgery. She said the interview followed an eight-hour shoot. Her representative eventually stopped it when she became exhausted. Panettiere used the episode to highlight mental health and the impact of social media criticism. She urged people to think about how comments made behind a screen can affect others. Her death came just days before her 37th birthday. SAG-AFTRA joined those mourning her sudden death and offered condolences to her daughter, family, friends and fans.