Hayden Panettiere has died in Greenville, South Carolina just days before her 37th birthday. Hayden is known for her work in the television series Heroes and Nashville and in the Scream movie franchise. She’s had a comeback in the past two years, and most recently starred in the films Amber Alert, A Breed Apart and Sleepwalker. In her memoir, which came out earlier this year, Hayden was open about her difficult childhood as her family’s breadwinner, about her battle with addiction following postpartum depression, and about her decision to give up custody of her daughter, Kaya, now 11, to Kaya’s father, Wladimir Klitschko, in 2018. I covered her interviews at the time and was so impressed with the growth that she’s made. She was sober and reportedly no longer with her on-off abusive boyfriend, Brian Hickerson. Unfortunately Brian flew with her from California to South Carolina the day before she died. It’s unknown if he was with her, however an unnamed person with her called 911. Greenville police and EMS responded to the scene, where she was pronounced deceased. Police say that the investigation is ongoing but that there are no “signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.” Here’s more on this very sad story, from NBC News:
Actor Hayden Panettiere, who was known for roles in television’s “Heroes” and “Nashville” and had recently published a memoir, has died, her father said in a statement Sunday night. She was 36.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement provided by her representative.
The cause and manner of death were not provided. Her publicist, Kasey Kitchen, said Panettiere’s death was being investigated.
“There’s an investigation ongoing,” Kitchen said in a statement. “We should know more tomorrow.”
Police in Greenville, South Carolina, said in a statement that officers “accompanied by EMS personnel, responded to a report of an unresponsive female” at around 1:50 p.m. Sunday. “Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene,” police said in a statement.
“The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office. The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call,” it said. The statement added that no further details were available for release at this time.
This hits really hard and I have a lump in my throat. I can’t believe she’s gone. I don’t want to speculate about how she passed and I only hope that it was painless. We’re thinking of her friends and family (not her awful mom though). She will be remembered for her work and her candor. Hayden told her story and it was a bestseller. I just wish it had a happy ending because she deserved that.
Update: TMZ is reporting that EMS “responded to a call that came in of a person in ‘cardiac arrest’ and an ‘unresponsive female.'” People Magazine is reporting that Hayden passed from an apparent overdose.
Photos credit: Avalon.red, Backgrid and Cover Images
Wow. I am…stunned. I’m so sorry for her family’s loss.
I was very sad to read this and when I read he was with her my mind went to a dark place (as am sure many others did considering how abusive he was to her).
May she finally find the peace that she struggled to find in life – thoughts are with her daughter, friends and family.
Mine, too. Especially hearing that she was with that man the day before, and maybe the day of, her death. It’s disheartening how many beautiful and accomplished women fall into the clutches of men like that. This news really gutted me today.
It’s equally disheartening when they aren’t “beautiful and accomplished.”
The reason “beautiful and accomplished” was highlighted was because most of us who are not beautiful or accomplished tend to stay in abusive relationships because we feel we don’t have many other options. I stayed in such a relationship for 25 years because I had neither the money nor pretty privilege to get out sooner. Obviously, abuse is wrong against anyone. I didn’t realize it needed to be said.
Abuse has nothing to do with how pretty, accomplished, famous or rich one is. No one should accept that behavior from their partner and yet people do, so so often.
@Harriet – And abusive relationships have nothing to do with the victim being accepting of abuse. The most dangerous time for a victim in an abusive relationship is when they leave and when they report to police so I beg you to sit there and consider that before blaming the victim of being “accepting” of what the monster on the other end is doing. There is often also the factoring in of children and what the abuser might do to them. Victims are often not believed because these psychopaths are absolutely charming to everyone else. I should know – I was in one of these relationships for 3 years. When he came to collect his things from my house when I broke up with him, I was absolutely terrified he was going to shoot me.
There is currently a trial going on in my town of a police officer who killed his girlfriend when she told him she was leaving.
@Sue, yes I know all that. I have a sister in law who has been abused for 30 years, has every kind of help, money, family support you could imagine and she still chooses to stay. Please spare me the cliches and please spare me the idea that abused women have no agency. Some don’t; many do.
Hayden chose to get back together with her abuser. If you want to argue she had no choice because [insert cliche here] go for it but in her case, sorry, it doesn’t wash.
Unfortunately she was a very messed up person. Her shitty family, early fame, supporting her family, easy access to drugs and alcohol… it’s a classic and tragic story.
If cardiac arrest is true, there are a lot of possibilities. She suffered addiction. He was someone who could access substances and it wouldn’t get out unless something awful happened. We only know that he flew into Greenville with her because she didn’t make it out alive.
Addicted people relapse. And many die young. As horrible as he was, addiction will compel an addict to be around people who can help with access and privacy, and none of us know about it until it is a sad headline.
My mind has also gone to a dark place about what has happened but I won’t say what I’m thinking in the off chance that I’m wrong.
Really sad news.
What a shock. Such a tragedy.
Wow. I loved her in Heroes and was rooting for her. In a way I guess I still am, that however death came, it was fast and painless and she is at peace now.
Definitely a hard one to hear, especially considering how she seemed to be doing so well recently. I really appreciated how she was able to recognise that her daughter needed more than she could give her, and how forthcoming she was about that.
Yeah, this one stings.
This site generated some really sensitive, productive dialogue on addiction in response to the Brad Pitt story — and THIS is why. Acting so cavalier about relapse sends a really dangerous message — relapse for so many of us can have fatal consequences. Anyone in recovery knows why — and it’s not a moral failing. Addiction is so insidious, and it can sneak up on you looking so very manageable.
I am truly devastated for her, her daughter, and her family. With kindness, anyone struggling with addiction needs to be rigorous with the influences around them, no matter how much they love them.
All the likes to this comment! I am in recovery from alcoholism. And that date is the same date as when I agreed to leave my abuser. This was not an easy decision, as it meant leaving our children with him while I went to my parents. It was also the only option I had at that point to get myself recovered so I could be alive to fight for our children. I relapsed multiple times trying to stay with him for our kids. He is not to blame for my relapse- i.e. my choice to pick up as a response – but he is responsible for his constant abuse. He still abuses me at every opportunity in our divorce. I keep my distance to recover from the abuse and to keep my triggers (his abuse) as diminished as possible in my life. Recovery and lots of trauma therapy have helped. But I am aware of the interconnectedness of his abuse and my recovery and I am vigilant about healthy actions for both, and am very grateful to have so many loving, healthy people to surround myself with and remind me what relationships can and should look like so that I remain on guard for my triggers.
Exactly, SquiddusMaximus and Paleokifaru. Addiction takes you places you keep trying not to go back to. Her ex allowed for privacy and access.
I had very close friends who were addicted to hard drugs. We did them together in our 20s. Some of us left the behavior. Some of us are still dabbling in it. Some of us didn’t make it out alive. The 80’s were a different time, and we didn’t understand what we were fooling with until some of us got lost. I am so grateful that I walked away back then and didn’t feel the pull that some of my friends did.
Paleokifaru, I am thankful that you are okay and fighting back. You can get through. Please keep fighting.
I’m rooting for you too, Paleokifaru. It’s amazing the strength we can find when we have to. Best to you.
Oh no! I’ve been following her since Heroes and loved her in Nashville. It broke my heart when her Nashville plotline and struggles with depression played out in real life. Rest in peace, Hayden. And condolences to your young daughter and loved ones.
Such shocking news! I’ve been a fan since she appeared on Guiding Light as a child. Just finished watching Heroes again. My condolences to her loved ones and friends.
Same here. Little Lizzie Spaulding.
That is where I remember from too. She was also in Remember the Titans and did a couple of L&O SVU episodes and was very compelling in those. She really could command the screen. I was rooting for her.
May her memory be a blessing to her daughter and her family.
What a terrible tragedy.
In the UK the media is referencing her struggles with mental health and addiction, but this site is the first I’ve seen that mentions that she was a victim of domestic abuse, and was with her abuser the day before she died.
It’s slightly odd that the UK media would mention post-partum depression from 12 years ago but keep the more recent domestic violence silent, particularly as she mentioned it in her book, and was still in such close contact with her abuser.
It’s shattering enough already that she’s passed, let’s hope there isn’t worse news to come.
TMZ has the 911 call audio and at the end a mans voice is heard saying ‘overdose CPR is progress’ – I think thats why the press are mentioning her addictions and the fact that she was complaining of back pain leading up to her death.
I hope she hadn’t relapsed but given she let that scum bag abuser back into her life who fed her addictions – I fear the worse.
Oh, this is such a grief. I just recently rewatched the whole run of “Nashville”, and she was such a talented singer, and actress too. This is a terrible waste of both a life and a gift.
May her memory be for a blessing, for all who love her.
I live in Greenville and I know the apartment complex she was found at. I will be keeping an eye on this story. So sad. She was so young.
Beyond tragic. Her life was so tumultuous and she finally seemed to have found a place of peace. For this to happen right as her life was falling into place feels extra unfair. Very, very sad news.
This is horrible and shocking news. So young and such a hard life to have lived. She was a beautiful talent and I pray that she can rest in peace and be remembered for the light and happiness she brought others in her short life. My prayers are also with her daughter and loved ones.
Her brother Jansen died 3 years ago with cardiac issues too.
What an awful surprise. This poor lady, I feel for her and her daughter. May she be at peace.
This one…💔….😭 poor Sweetheart 🥀
I will always think of her as the little girl in her SVU guest starring role.
She develops an unhealthy attachment to Liv, due to having a cold, absent, and distant mother.
It was so sad, and I wonder how much of her real life experiences contributed to the role.
The stories of her mom pushing her to go on audition after audition when she was just a little girl are awful.
May she rest in peace.
Stage parents should be put in jail. We can’t claim that we haven’t been told the reality of Hollywood. I’m glad she was able to say her truth.
A bit shameful how we act suprised about something we’ve always known. As we say in my culture, she was tired. She went to rest
I remember watching her as a kid myself in movies like “Remember the Titans.” What an outstanding actress who overcame so much, gone far too soon. I am so sad.
Child stars, man. I would never allow a kid of mine to be a performer. It messes them up. RIP, Hayden.
Rest in peace, Hayden. This is such heartbreaking news.
I gasped when I read it this morning. She seemed like she was on an upswing. I’ll always think of her as the little girl in Remember the Titans, though she was also great in Nashville. RIP
That’s how I always think of her, too!
😥
That was one of my favorite movies back in the day, probably because I went to see it with my future hubby.
🏈
I was so sorry to hear this. Her poor daughter. I hope Hayden is now at peace.
Unfortunately I was not shocked. So many people in her life did her wrong. She had the strength to try to fight the demons and it’s commendable and tragic that she tried to do what she thought was in the best interests of her child. RIP Hayden.
Same…I listened to her audiobook twice…and I could tell by the tone towards the end that she wasn’t finished with her unfortunate relationship with her abuser…she gave him SO MUCH GRACE…yet you could tell she was STILL trying to work it out…Lawd💔
And her mother who I think did the worst damage of all. The one person who should protect you all your life pushed and profited from her and cut her off when the money stopped
I find this to be so heartbreaking.
I’m so so sad about this. Poor Hayden.
This is absolutely tragic. That poor woman! So sorry.
This is so very sad…heartbreaking…she tried to make it in this often cruel world, and she just could not.
I have bipolar type one, and I can tell you, even without the issues that Hayden had with addiction and recovery, people are really struggling with all varieties of metal illness.
..and, as you may know, mental health resources are drying up.
But, reminder, that the 988 Suicide and Crisis Line is available 24/7. There is a text function, too, if the caller can’t /doesn’t want to talk on the phone.
https://988lifeline.org/
I’ve had my moments, and the people at 988 are kind and knowledgable…no small thing!
I don’t know said, “Above all, be kind”, but let’s go with that. Love and support to Hayden’s family and friends.
This is tragic, and if it was an overdose, and her abusive ex who fed her addictions was around, I hope the police question him. Ugh.
Yes he absolutely has a part in this but unfortunately the cycle of abuse was started way before he entered the scene
It was a relapse and overdose. Must every woman be defined by their relationships?
@vmax absolutely not. She should be remembered for her talent in acting and singing for which she had in spades. That’s why I’m not comfortable just blaming this POS boyfriend who she may have relapsed into like the drugs. She grew up in the most unhealthy environment and the people who should have loved and protected her (her family) did not. Unfortunately it will go down as a cautionary tale as old as time of people profiting and abusing a beautiful young talented child.
I remember when Carroll O’Connor’s son Hugh died of a drug overdose and he fought tooth and nail to drag the supplier through the mud. I hope this happens in this case as well. It’s almost too bad she died in South Carolina and not California because of Drug Dealer Civil Liability Act (Hugh O’Connor Memorial Law)
(the supplier tried to sue Carroll for defamation and lost, the court finding Carroll had the right to speak out. )
*correction, Hugh died of suicide, but Carroll spent years calling that guy “partner in murder” and other quite correct things. He never backed down. Never softened his tone.
The drug dealer tried to sue for defamation?! The gall.
By many accounts Carroll was a good man. I often think of Joe Biden and how he’s stood by Hunter in his struggles. Those are good parents which Hayden did not have at all
I remember when that happened and I recall everyone agreed with Carroll. His son got addicted to drugs which he blamed on the suicide.
Agreed. Because “overdose” does not necessarily equal “relapse”. It could have been a deliberate act of getting out of life.
Like others who posted earlier I gasped when I read the news, and actually called my sister. What an absolute tragedy. Hayden was an accomplished, talented and beautiful young woman whose work brought joy to many.
God cover and protect her young daughter. And to Hayden may you rest well and find the peace that you so deserved and didn’t get in this earthly realm reunited with your dear brother.
Ugh this is so awful on so many levels. Unfortunately when addicts suddenly start using again, their tolerance has often dropped significantly and so the usual doses they were taking can be too much for their body to handle. It seems like she was doing well as recently as a month or so ago, although we can never truly know what someone is going through. I do think it’s criminal how young she was when her mother forced her into acting and she spoke candidly about how being a child star affected her mental health and body image so it’s no wonder she developed serious mental illness and turned to substances to cope. Addiction is a lifelong illness, and I hope this forces those who are giving Brad Pitt a pass on falling off the wagon to gain a new perspective on just how dangerous that can be. It always starts with just a couple drinks, maybe a few pills, and then before you know it you’re fully back in the throes of it all.
Just seeing this and it’s so sad. She was amazing in Nashville. I loved what someone said earlier, may she finally get some rest and some peace.
This is so sad. When I saw this headline I actually said out loud, ‘WHAT?!’ What a tragic life. Condolences to her family (except that mother).
when I saw the news this morning, my first thought was that it was suicide. I think there were some quarters still being super judgmental of her decisions despite the info in her autobiography. That said, seeing that her abusive on/off BF was with her gives me pause. In some states now, suicide by someone where DV was known in their relationship is still investigated as a potential homicide since staging a suicide (especially OD in someone with a history of alcoholism/drug abuse) is a really easy way for an abuser to cover up murder
This one hurts, I remember when she was a child actor on Guiding Light. She was a better actress than most of the adult cast.
Trying to withhold judgment on the on/off boyfriend. But she flew to South Carolina with him and was in her boyfriend’s apartment when she passed. The 911 call said possible overdose and cardiac arrest. Sounds like she was already gone when they got to her.
Just feel so sad for her daughter that lost her mom to addiction years ago. From what I understand she was a presence in her life and they communicated. But custody was still with the father.
RIP Hayden may you find peace on the other side you could not find here.
I remember her as a child actress on Ally McBeal years ago.
I find it hard to believe that guy had nothing to do with it.
Apparently, she’d been clean for years, and she certainly looked the part: fresh complexion, bright eyes, calm, steady movements.
The guy used to abuse her—both physically and mentally.
The charges were serious; he spent a short time in prison back in 2021 but was given a five-year restraining order. It looks like that order just expired, and he showed up in her life again.
She’d found another success with her book and was busy promoting it. Maybe being around that man brought back old demons? Maybe she cracked and let herself be talked into taking something? Or maybe someone slipped her something? So many questions, but I just don’t believe she started using again—though, of course, you can’t rule it out entirely, especially given the serious nerve damage in her lower back. That’s painful, but she was fighting to get healthy… I just don’t believe she went back to drugs! Maybe it was too much strong painkillers? Damn, it’s heartbreaking.
I agree. We definitely don’t have the whole picture. As I said in an earlier comment, overdose does not necessarily mean she relapsed. There are a whole range of reasons that overdoses take place, some very deliberate.
I am so saddened by the news she is gone. A follower of her work since Guiding Light days, I expected a very different path ahead for her, Especially after she seemed to have grown so much from things that hurt her and or held her back. She was and had put in the work. Heartbreaking. May her memory be a blessing. I hope she is at peace.
Poor Hayden, I saw this yesterday. She was so young. I hope she has found some peace.
So so sad, this is shocking and hurts.
Gone but never forgotten.
Oh, damn this is so sad. I’ll always remember her trying to save dolphins trapped in nets; she was really courageous, and I wish someone had fought for her too.
I loved her style. May she RIP.
I have heard several testimonies on social media and youtube from people who were trying to make it in Hollywood saying they were approached by members of a cult who proposed demonic deals if they wanted to obtain castings and achieve success. They were told it’s dangerous to refuse because they “might have an accidental overdose”. Knowing what we know about Epstein files and the kind of occult sacrifices they were doing, I’m now suspicious of every young celebrity’s death “by overdose”. There’s a lot of shady things happening the the music and movie industry.
We must stop using children in movies and television. The vast majority of child stars are supporting their stage parents. The only way to prevent this abuse is by shutting off the profit spigot.
I have long thought that we should enact a new law, call it the Judy Garland/Hayden Panetierre, etc. law. We could add Britney Spears, Jody Foster and others, if they agreed.
Show business is predator-infested. At least adults sign themselves up for it. We should include sports, too. No profiting off children.
Lisa R, Love your idea. The abuse of young children has been part of the picture industry since the very beginning. So many shattered, destroyed lives. So many greedy, rapacious parents.