Blake Lively Urges People to 'Be Kind' After Hayden Panettiere's Sudden Death

Blake Lively is asking people to lead with compassion following the sudden death of Hayden Panettiere.

On Monday, August 17, the actress shared a message with her followers while remembering Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg, who died nearly a year apart. The two actresses appeared together in the 2005 Disney movie Ice Princess.

“Be. Kind. You never know what others are going through,” Lively wrote on her Instagram Stories over a compilation of scenes featuring Panettiere and Trachtenberg.

“Thank you to both these women for all the joy you brought so many,” she continued.

Trachtenberg also worked with Lively on Gossip Girl, where the actresses played Georgina Sparks and Serena van der Woodsen, respectively.

Panettiere, best known for her roles on Heroes and Nashville, died Sunday, August 16, at 36.

A representative for the actress confirmed her death in a statement to ABC News.

"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," the spokesperson said.

Panettiere’s father, Skip Panettiere, also asked the public to respect the family’s privacy as they "takes time to process this unimaginable loss."

Hayden’s passing comes about a year and a half after Michelle’s death at 39.

Michelle was found unresponsive in her New York City apartment on February 26, 2025. Two months later, the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that she died from complications of diabetes mellitus. Her manner of death was ruled natural.

According to a source, Michelle had undergone a liver transplant before her death.

Following the actress’ passing, Blake shared an emotional tribute to Michelle.

"This was the first day I met Michelle," the It Ends With Us star captioned a scene from the CW series. "She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%."

Blake went on to remember the qualities that made Michelle stand out to the people around her.

"She laughed the fullest at someone's joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something was wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be sometimes," she continued. "She was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself. And she always had yummy caramel smelling lipgloss on because she didn't just want to sparkle on camera, she liked creating a nice experience for anyone who was in her orbit, even down to the subtle smell of her lipgloss because she cared about the sweet details."

Blake described Michelle as a "kind person, through and through."

"Time passes. You take for granted that you get the chance to see an old friend. To paraphrase, the real tragedies in life are the ones that blindside you on an idle Tuesday," she stated. "Hold those you love and have loved dear. The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle. May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire."