Hayden Panettiere, an actress recognized for her work in the television series Heroes and Nashville, as well as her voice acting in video games like Until Dawn and the Kingdom Hearts franchise, has died at the age of 36. Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her passing in a statement.
"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden," the statement read. "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. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss." The official cause of Panettiere's death has not yet been disclosed.
Panettiere's acting career began in her early childhood, with appearances in commercials starting at 11 months old and a role on the soap opera One Life to Live from age 4. She gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Claire Bennett, a cheerleader with superpowers, in NBC's Heroes. Later, she starred as Juliette Barnes, an aspiring country music singer, in the drama series Nashville. Her filmography includes roles in Remember the Titans, Scream 4, and Scream 6.
In addition to her live-action work, Panettiere was a notable voice actor. Her video game credits include roles in PlayStation titles such as The Mark of Kri and Until Dawn. She was a recurring presence in the Kingdom Hearts series, lending her voice to Kairi and Xion in the original Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts 2, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.
Earlier this year, Panettiere released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, where she discussed her experiences with postpartum depression, addiction and recovery, body dysmorphia, and domestic abuse throughout her career in Hollywood.