Actor Hayden Panettiere has sadly died at the age of 36, just five days before her 37th birthday. Her family have shared a heartbreaking statement on their "unimaginable loss", describing Hayden as a "force of nature". A cause of death has not been specified.
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 are requesting privacy as they take "time to process this unimaginable loss".
Hayden leaves behind a daughter, Kaya, who she shares with her ex-partner, Wladimir Klitschko, a Ukrainian boxer.
Moving tributes have poured in from celebrities such as actor Selma Blair, who wrote underneath Hayden's final Instagram post (a black and white shot of her and friend with the caption 'Good times and good friends'), "I love you. Don’t be gone. Don’t be gone. Please. Please."
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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.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
