Hayden Panettiere, Heroes and Scream Star, Dies at 36

Hayden Panettiere, who became a breakout star as Claire Bennet on NBC’s Heroes and later starred in Nashville and the Scream films, has died at 36.

Her father, Skip Panettiere, announced her death in a statement provided to ABC News on Sunday, August 16. The Associated Press and Reuters reported the news Monday. No cause of death has been determined; AP reported that the investigation remained ongoing.

From Heroes to Nashville

Panettiere had been working on screen since childhood, appearing in commercials and soap operas before roles in projects including A Bug’s Life and Remember the Titans.

Her defining breakthrough came with Heroes in 2006. As Claire Bennet, the cheerleader whose body could rapidly heal from devastating injuries, Panettiere became one of the faces of NBC’s superhero drama during its original run.

She later played country singer Juliette Barnes on Nashville, performing her own vocals for the series. The role earned her two Golden Globe nominations for supporting actress.

Kirby Reed gave her a second fan-favorite role

Horror audiences also knew Panettiere as Kirby Reed in Scream 4. More than a decade later, she returned to the character in Scream VI, bringing one of the franchise’s most popular survivors back to the screen.

Her film work also included I Love You, Beth Cooper and Remember the Titans, giving her a career that stretched from child acting to superhero television, musical drama and horror.

Panettiere would have turned 37 on August 21. She is survived by her daughter, Kaya, and her parents.

Her family’s statement asked for privacy as they process the loss.