Rosie O’Donnell, Viola Davis Pay Tribute to Hayden Panettiere: “Heartbroken”
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Actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36, prompting an outpouring of tributes from Hollywood colleagues including Rosie O'Donnell, Viola Davis, Connie Britton and David Arquette. Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed the death in a statement, describing her as "an incredible light and a force of nature" who brought joy to those who knew her and to millions of viewers. The news matters as it marks the sudden loss of a performer who rose to fame as a child actor and became a prominent face of early 2000s and 2010s television and film.
Panettiere was found unresponsive at a home in South Carolina, and police in Greenville said their preliminary investigation had found no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances, though inquiries were continuing. She was best known for roles in Heroes, Nashville, the Scream franchise and Bring It On: All or Nothing, and had recently spoken openly in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, about postpartum depression and her struggles with alcohol and opioid addiction. Co-stars and peers, including Nashville's Connie Britton and Scream franchise collaborators Melissa Barrera and David Arquette, shared personal messages of grief and admiration on social media.
- Actress Hayden Panettiere has died aged 36
- Found unresponsive in South Carolina; no foul play suspected
- Known for Heroes, Nashville and Scream; tributes pour in
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Panettiere first became widely known as a child actor before her breakout role as cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero series Heroes, and she later starred as country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville. She also appeared in the Scream horror films and Bring It On: All or Nothing, building a career that spanned much of the 2000s and 2010s across television and film.
In recent years, Panettiere had been open about personal struggles, writing in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning about postpartum depression and her battles with alcohol and opioid addiction. This context has shaped how her death, at the age of 36, has been discussed publicly, alongside tributes from colleagues who worked alongside her.
The tributes referenced in the story come from figures including Rosie O'Donnell, Viola Davis, Connie Britton and David Arquette, several of whom worked directly with Panettiere on screen. Her father, Skip Panettiere, issued a statement confirming her death, and authorities in South Carolina have said their preliminary findings show no signs of foul play, though the investigation remains ongoing.