Death and initial investigation
Hayden Panettiere, the actress known for roles in "Heroes," "Remember the Titans," and "Nashville," died Sunday, August 16, at the age of 36, her publicist confirmed to CBS News. Her father, Skip Panettiere, 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. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."
Police in Greenville, South Carolina, said they responded to a report of an unresponsive female at Judson Mill Lofts. Officers and EMS personnel provided medical assistance, but the person, "later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene," according to a police statement. An acquaintance of Panettiere placed the 911 call.
According to Addiction Center, emergency personnel arrived at approximately 1:51 PM, and Panettiere was found in cardiac arrest. Despite advanced life support, she was pronounced dead at 2:32 PM. Emergency dispatch audio discussed an "overdose" and "cardiac arrest" call, and PEOPLE reported that Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, was found at the scene. However, an autopsy was completed Monday, and the official cause and manner of death have not yet been released. The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances, and further toxicology testing is needed before an official determination can be made.
Career and public life
Panettiere's career spanned more than three decades. She appeared as a child actor in "Remember the Titans" and gained wide recognition for her role in the sci-fi series "Heroes." She also starred in the "Scream" horror film series and the TV drama "Nashville," earning a Golden Globe nomination.
In recent months, Panettiere spoke openly about the challenges of growing up in the spotlight. She released her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," in May, detailing her childhood and her experiences with addiction, physical abuse, and recovery. In an interview with CBS News' Gayle King, she reflected on her early start in acting: "When your mother has chosen to take the 8-month-old baby into those audition rooms, and it went from there and progressed into 50 commercials by the time I was 5 ... it just never stopped."
Struggles with addiction and advocacy
Panettiere had spoken publicly about her struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction. In 2022, she told PEOPLE that she was given "happy pills" at age 15 to perk her up before a red carpet event. She described that period as a "cycle of self-destruction," according to Addiction Center, and recalled that substance use took a physical toll, including a hospitalization with jaundice and a warning that her liver could fail if she continued drinking.
She sought professional addiction treatment in 2020, including trauma therapy and eight months of inpatient treatment. By 2022, she described her recovery as a second chance at life.
Panettiere also became an advocate for women experiencing postpartum depression. After the birth of her daughter Kaya in 2014, she developed severe postpartum depression and entered a treatment facility in October 2015. The CDC reports that at least one in eight women who experience live births report symptoms of postpartum depression. In 2018, Panettiere gave full primary custody of Kaya to her ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko.