Actress Hayden Panettiere, star of ‘Nashville’ and ‘Remember the Titans,’ dies at just 36

“Beloved” actress Hayden Panettiere died suddenly over the weekend at the age of just 36.

The shocking news comes after the performer, known for her starring roles across generations, was reportedly found dead by a friend on Sunday.

‘She was an incredible light.’

‘Unimaginable loss’

Panettiere, born in New York in 1989, passed away in South Carolina, her representatives have confirmed.

TMZ reported that the death came after emergency services responded to a call that came in for a person described as an “unresponsive female” who was in “cardiac arrest.”

The Greenville Police Department confirmed to Variety on Monday there were no signs of “foul play or suspicious circumstances” and that “an acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call.”

The young actress’ father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere, asked for privacy while mourning the death of his daughter.

The family is taking “time to process this unimaginable loss,” he told ABC News.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Skip continued in a statement. “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.”

RELATED: Family says 28-year-old Jansen Panettiere died suddenly of enlarged heart, Hayden Panettiere honors ‘brilliant’ brother

2015. Ray Tamarra/GC Images

Under investigation

The death is still under investigation, but if heart related, the young mother’s passing will undoubtedly draw links to her brother’s death that occurred in 2023.

That year, Panettiere’s family revealed that her younger brother Jansen suddenly died from an enlarged heart; he was just 28.

Panettiere leaves behind one daughter, Kaya, whom she had in 2014 with her former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.

Klitschko, 50, is a legendary former heavyweight boxing champion who was born in Kazakhstan. He is now involved with the Ukrainian military in relation to the Russia-Ukraine war.

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2008. K Winter/TCA 2008/Getty Images for Fox

‘Heroes’ star was 36

Panettiere was a big hit as a child actor in 2000’s “Remember the Titans” starring Denzel Washington. She went on to star in 73 episodes of “Heroes” between 2006 and 2010 and 124 episodes of “Nashville” as Juliette Barnes from 2012 to 2018.

The actress was also a voice artist for the video game series Kingdom Hearts spanning from 2002 to 2012.

Panettiere was just days away from her birthday; she would have turned 37 years old on Friday.

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