NEWS'Nashville' and 'Heroes' Star Hayden Panettiere Dead at 36
The star died on August 16.
Aug. 16 2026, Updated 11:41 p.m. ET
Hayden Panettiere has died at 36 years old, TMZ confirmed on Sunday, August 16.
The actress passed away earlier on Sunday, and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson flew from Los Angeles to the "south," the outlet reported.
"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," her rep said in a statement to ABC News.
The Star Lost Her Brother in 2023
Jansen Panettiere died in 2023.
The blonde beauty promoted her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, earlier this year, in which she spoke about her mental health, the loss of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, and motherhood.
She recalled learning of her sibling's death at age 28.
Her father told her, “Jansen’s dead. My boy is dead.”
The actress honored her brother via Instagram.
Last year, the starlet honored her brother on Instagram with a tribute post. "2 years ago today, I lost my little brother," she wrote alongside a photo of the two on a boat. "This amazing human being touched the lives of so many. Especially mine. The pain isn’t quantifiable."
"I pray you’re in a beautiful place J. That you’re at peace and that when all is said and done…I’ll see you again. Rest easy brother," she continued. "You are so missed and beyond loved."
- Hayden Panettiere Honors Brother Jensen on the 2-Year Anniversary of His Unexpected Death, Admits She's Still in 'Pain' Over the Tragedy
- Hayden Panettiere Pays Tribute to Brother Jansen on 1-Year Anniversary of His Tragic Death: 'I Keep Him in My Heart'
- 'Inconsolable' Hayden Panettiere Seen Out For First Time Since Brother's Death As Friends Fear Grief Could Push Her To Relapse
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Doctor Gave Her a Stern Warning
The Hollywood star ended up in an eight-month treatment stay in 2020.
In the tome, she also mentioned a moment where a doctor warned her that continued alcoholism could kill her within five years.
She also spoke about her withdrawal symptoms she experienced during an eight-month treatment stay in 2020.
“I've said it before, and I'll say it again: addicts aren't patient,” she wrote. “When we're shaking, nauseated, anxious, lonely, or depressed, we need instant relief that sends us into that pain-free place called denial.”
“Alcohol let me say ‘F--- it, I'll deal with everything later,' and within thirty seconds, I was in the zone,” she added. “It was like coming up for air and breathing again.”
Rehab Stint
The 'Nashville' alum shared one daughter with her ex Wladimir Klitschko.
The TV star said drinking helped her forget that her daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with Wladimir Klitschko, didn't live close to her.
“In the f------- zone, I forgot everything: Brian's abuse, Kaya's absence, and a career I'd chosen to hide from,” she wrote. “Leaving acting hadn't been a conscious decision; it simply happened.”
“As my nervous system tried to regulate itself without the depressant effects of alcohol, it went into overdrive, and my whole body shook,” she added of her rehab stint. “I couldn't sleep, and my head pounded like it was pressing against my skull.”
