VIDEOSHayden Panettiere Filmed Final Campaign Just Weeks Before Her Death — as PETA Releases Posthumous Footage From Beloved Star's Shoot: Watch
Hayden Panettiere filmed one final campaign prior to her death.
Aug. 18 2026, Published 5:16 p.m. ET
PETA has revealed Hayden Panettiere's final campaign, as the late actress advocated for marine life in captivity just weeks before she passed away.
The actress, who struggled with substance abuse, died at 36 after a suspected overdose in South Carolina on Sunday, August 16. First responders were called when she was found unresponsive at the Greenville apartment, prompting them to treat her for "cardiac arrest" to no avail.
She was a longtime animal advocate, using her last act of good to speak out against marine parks in the PSA filmed roughly two weeks before she died, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed.
Hayden Panettiere filmed a PETA campaign roughly two weeks before her death.
Hayden Panettiere advocated against marine parks that keep animals in confined spaces.
The Nashville star crammed herself into a bathtub for the shoot while speaking out against businesses such as SeaWorld that may participate in the "cruel captivity" of marine wildlife.
"Can you imagine their frustration, their trauma, their depression?" she asked in the campaign. "All that is important and crucial for their well-being is ripped away. … We can end this. You and me."
In honor of her memory, the organization encouraged fans to boycott facilities that "condemn these sensitive animals to a tiny concrete tank."
'Together, We Can End This Cruelty'
Hayden Panettiere asked fans to not buy tickets to 'abusive' marine parks.
"In their ocean homes, they can be with their families, dive deep to escape the hot sun and enjoy the rain on their backs," the actress continued in her final plea. "All of that is taken from them when they are confined to small tanks."
"Vow today to never go to a marine park that keeps dolphins in extreme captivity," she concluded. "Together, we can end this cruelty. Thank you."
Panettiere became famous for her animal advocacy in 2007 when she paddled out to sea to confront dolphin hunters in Taiji, Japan, at just 18 years old while accompanied by several other surfers.
The moment was captured in the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove.
- Hayden Panettiere's Death: First Look at South Carolina 'Loft' Where Actress Was Found 'Unresponsive' After Suspected 'Overdose' — Photo
- Hayden Panettiere's Autopsy Showed 'No Signs of Trauma' After Suspected Overdose, Coroner Reports
- Hayden Panettiere Battled 'Really Severe' Health Issues Before Death, Source Reveals: It Was 'Hard for Her to Move Her Legs'
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How Did Hayden Panettiere Die?
Hayden Panettiere passed away on August 16 after a suspected overdose.
Panettiere's family confirmed her death just hours after she passed on Sunday.
"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden," her father expressed. "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 official cause of death has not been released, though the coroner stated there were no "signs of trauma" or "foul play."
Hayden Panettiere traveled to South Carolina before her death.
The star traveled to South Carolina with her on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, the day before she passed away. The pair dated from 2018 to 2022, during which Panettiere accused him of physical abuse on multiple occasions. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail in 2021 for multiple violence charges.
According to recent police reports, Hickerson was present when police responded to the 911 call, though it's unclear when they reconnected.
He allegedly did not appear emotional until she was declared dead and guided police toward a "bag of medication" she had been taking before she passed.
