Hayden Panettiere, an actor recognized for her roles in television series such as "Nashville" and "Heroes," and for voicing Kairi in the Kingdom Hearts video game franchise, has passed away. She was 36.
Panettiere's career included film roles in "Remember the Titans," "I Love You, Beth Cooper," and "Scream 4." On television, she portrayed Juliette Barnes in the CMT series "Nashville" and Claire Bennet in "Heroes" and its follow-up "Heroes Reborn."
In the gaming world, Panettiere was the original English voice for Kairi in "Kingdom Hearts," "Kingdom Hearts II," "Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep," and "Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance." Alyson Stoner later took over the role of Kairi for "Kingdom Hearts III."
Beyond her voice work, Panettiere also performed motion capture and lent her likeness to the character Samantha "Sam" Giddings, a primary protagonist in the 2015 horror game "Until Dawn" and its 2024 remake.
Game Informer extends its condolences to Panettiere's family and loved ones.