By Associated Press

August 16, 2026 - 8:52 pm

LOS ANGELES— Hayden Panettiere, star of popular television series including “Heroes” and “Nashville,” has died. She was 36.

Panettiere’s father, Skip, announced the actor’s death in a statement provided to ABC News Sunday.

“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,” his statement said.

No cause of death was announced, and a publicist for Hayden Panettiere did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press.

Panettiere had a prolific career dating to 1996, and her credits included the voice of Dot in “A Bug’s Life,” “Remember the Titans” and “Scream VI.” Her role as a cheerleader with superpowers in “Heroes” propelled her to fame, with the series revolving around the mantra “Save the cheerleader, save the world.”

She had been open about her struggles with alcohol addiction and depression, including after the birth of her daughter in 2014. In a memoir published this year, titled “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” she wrote about her decision to give full custody of her daughter to her former partner, boxer Wladimir Klitschko.