Actor Hayden Panettiere has sadly died at the age of 36, just five days before her 37th birthday. Her family has shared a heartbreaking statement on their “unimaginable loss,” describing Hayden as a “force of nature.” A cause of death has not been confirmed.
The star, best known for her roles in Nashville, the Scream franchise, and Heroes, recently released a moving autobiography, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she wrote about her difficult experience of child fame, abuse, addiction, and recovery.
Sharing the news publicly, Hayden’s father Skip said in a statement, “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.”
He added that the family is requesting privacy as they take “time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Hayden leaves behind a daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with her ex-partner, Wladimir Klitschko, a Ukrainian boxer.
Moving tributes have poured in from celebrities like actor Selma Blair, who wrote underneath Hayden’s final Instagram post (a black-and-white shot of her and her friend with the caption “Good times and good friends”), “I love you. Don’t be gone. Don’t be gone. Please. Please.”
Podcast host Jay Shetty commented underneath an announcement of the news from Vanity Fair, “I can’t believe it. Our friendship had just begun and I was so moved by the conversation we shared earlier this year. My love and condolences to her family and fans.”
Our thoughts are with Hayden’s loved ones at this time.
