Hayden Panettiere, star of Scream franchise and Heroes, dies age 36
by Harry Stainer | Published on 17th August 2026 at 11.58am
People: Hayden Panettiere
This morning Lakbima News confirmed that Hayden Panettiere, known for her work on Heroes, Nashville and the Scream films, died on Sunday, August 16. She was 36. Panettiere began acting around 11 months old in a toy commercial and worked on screen and in voice roles for more than three decades. No cause of death has been announced.
Lakbima News reported the news on Sunday night and published a statement from her father, Skip Panettiere: “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 wrote. He asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Born Hayden Lesley Panettiere on August 21, 1989, and raised in New York, she was the daughter of an opera singer and a New York Fire Department captain. As a child she provided the voice of Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life and appeared in films and television including Remember the Titans, Malcolm in the Middle and Disney Channel’s Tiger Cruise.
In 2006 Panettiere took the role of Claire Bennet on NBC’s Heroes, playing a high school student with regenerative powers. The series ran four seasons and made her a familiar face on network television. She later starred opposite Connie Britton on the music drama Nashville as Juliette Barnes, a former teen star turned country singer. Nashville ran for six seasons and earned Panettiere two Golden Globe nominations.
Panettiere joined the Scream films in 2011 as Kirby Reed, first appearing in Scream 4. She returned to the franchise in Scream VI. Her voice work included Kairi in the Kingdom Hearts series and Samantha in the game Until Dawn.
Colleagues and fans have posted tributes online. Viola Davis described Panettiere as “an amazing talent” and “an old, wise soul with such a deep heart.” Panettiere is survived by her 11-year-old daughter.
The family has requested privacy as they make arrangements. Lakbima News will update this report as further information becomes available.
