Hayden Panettiere, who is best known for her starring roles in TV shows like Heroes and Nashville, died on Sunday at age 36. She leaves behind a daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, who is 11.
In a statement to TIME, Greenville Police say that officers “responded to a report of an unresponsive female” at an address in Greenville, South Carolina, just before 2 p.m.
“Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene,” the statement reads.
Read More: Hayden Panettiere’s Life Since Becoming a Mom Has ‘Evolved in a Beautiful Way’
Greenville Police also confirm that “the preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances” and that “an acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call.”
Audio obtained by the New York Post reveals that first responders tried to resuscitate someone—allegedly Panettiere—with “advanced cardiac life support.” A medic can be heard saying “overdose” and then “CPR is in progress.” However, Greenville Police tell TIME that they are unable to verify the audio and say that it is “not ours.”
Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed the actress’s death in a statement shared with ABC News, which broke the news early Monday. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” he said, describing his daughter’s passing as an “unimaginable loss.”
“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,” the statement continued.
The actress’s publicist, Kasey Kitchen, said there is “an investigation ongoing” into Panettiere’s death, according to NBC News. TIME has reached out to Kitchen for additional comment.
Tributes for Hayden Panettiere
Tributes have been pouring in for the actress, who also voiced Dot in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life in 1998.
Academy Award winner Viola Davis, who starred alongside Panettiere in the 2016 drama Custody, described her as “an amazing talent,” in a post on social media.
“I wish the world had more time with you because I had a burning curiosity about who you were becoming,” said Davis. “Your tests became your testimony, and your testimony became your legacy. You will be remembered. Rest well, Hayden.”
Actress Bethany Joy Lenz, a longtime friend, said that she was “crushed” in a post on social media. “I’m here with my head in my hands and I don’t know what else to do in aside from praying for her soul,” she said.
“Her intelligence was astonishing. She understood scenes and nuance and human struggle like no child I’d ever seen on camera,” Lenz continued. “These are moments of how I knew you, in glimpses over 26 years. I don’t know how to process this,” she said alongside images of the two together.
Rosie O’Donnell simply posted: “Oh my god - heartbroken.”
Actress Taryn Manning described Panettiere as “such a sweetheart- so rad - down to earth, kind, and consistently the same every time I saw her,” in a tribute on Instagram.
“I don’t really have words for what has happened and she is suddenly gone,” said Manning. “I’m just grateful I got to know her and have memories like this.”
Media host and NFL insider Jordan Schultz also reflected on Panettiere’s career and her impact. “You were such a magnetic talent,” said Schultz. “I’ll never forget the amazing role you played in Remember the Titans, my all-time favorite movie.”
SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union that Panettiere had been a member of since 1994, said in a statement: “We join in mourning the sudden passing of Hayden Panettiere.”
“Our hearts are with her daughter, family, friends and fans,” it continued. “May she [rest in peace].”
An acting career spanning decades
Panettiere began her onscreen career at just 11 months old, when she starred in a Playskool commercial, she told Entertainment Tonight in 2013. She went on to star in 27 episodes of the TV series One Life to Live between 1994 and 1997.
She was regularly cast in shows and movies throughout the 2000s, including Raising Helen, Remember the Titans, and Scream 4.
One of her most prominent roles began in 2006, playing Claire Bennet in the sci-fi action series Heroes. She also played Juliette Barnes, one of the leading roles in the drama series Nashville, which followed the lives of country music artists in Tennessee.
Panettiere returned to the Scream horror franchise in 2023, for its sixth installment.
Panettiere revealed personal struggles in her memoir
In May 2026, Panettiere published her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. Speaking with CBS about the book, Panettiere said that “once people figured out that I could cry on cue the way that I did, it was in everything.”
At first, she said, she would imagine her pet passing away. “But then as I got older, the imagery became darker,” she said.
Panettiere continued that she “didn't know where my character started and where I ended” and described feeling a “deep sadness” during those scenes.
The actress also reflected on landing the lead in Heroes at 16. “Back in the 2000s, there were no boundaries at all. It was rough and tough,” said Panettiere about the pressure of the paparazzi. “The way they spoke to you, the way they drove, hunted literally like prey.”
Panettiere also spoke out about her experience with postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in December 2014. “Here I am with this beautiful, healthy, beautiful baby girl in this very fortunate life, and I could not, for the whole life of me, be happy. I was so depressed, and I just couldn't find my way out,” she said while promoting her memoir in May.
Her daughter currently lives outside of the United States with her father, the retired heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
Panettiere’s brother, Jansen, died in February 2023 due to cardiomegaly with aortic valve complications. The Cleveland Clinic describes it as a condition where the heart is enlarged and has trouble pumping blood.
“His charisma, warmth, compassion for others, and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered,” the Panettiere family said in a statement after his death.
Reflecting on some of her struggles, including her brother’s death, Panettiere told Momé in July: “I'm a warrior. I'm a woman who has been through more trauma than I ever thought I'd face, but I'm resilient.”