Actress Hayden Panettiere dies at 36 with no signs of foul play

In May, actress Hayden Panettiere told podcaster Jay Shetty that she felt she had finally shaken off all of this darkness and this negativity, adding that she felt she had a lot more life to live. Three months later, she was found unresponsive in South Carolina on Saturday, after police responded to a 911 call from an acquaintance. She was 36.

The discovery followed a brief trip from Los Angeles; Panettiere had flown to South Carolina the day before her death with on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, according to reporting by The Standard. While South Carolina police stated there are no signs of foul play, they confirmed an investigation remains open.

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This sudden end creates a sharp contrast with the public narrative Panettiere had just begun to curate in her May memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. In the book and subsequent interviews, she described a cycle of self-destruction fueled by alcohol addiction, substance abuse, and severe mental health struggles. She characterized these experiences as a horrible cycle of depression and anxiety that she worked to overcome through an in-patient treatment center in early 2020, according to Smh.

A Volatile Orbit

Panettiere’s personal life was often marked by volatility, particularly in her relationship with Brian Hickerson. According to The Standard, Hickerson has a documented criminal history including a 2019 arrest on a domestic violence charge, which was later dismissed. He was arrested again in 2020, facing charges of domestic battery and interference with a cop. In 2021, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse, cohabitant, girlfriend, or child's parent, resulting in a 45-day jail sentence.

Beyond her romantic partnerships, Panettiere’s recent years were centered on a drive to reconcile with her daughter, Kaya, who lives in Ukraine with her father, former boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere surrendered full custody of Kaya to Klitschko in 2018 to prioritize her own recovery from alcoholism and postpartum depression.

In a July cover story for Momé magazine, Panettiere detailed the trauma of Kaya's 2014 birth, which required seven blood transfusions and three hours of surgery. She admitted to using alcohol to fill an emotional void following the birth, stating that handing over custody wasn't a decision I made lightly, but was necessary so she could be the mom she needed me to be. She told the magazine that she and her daughter remained so connected.

Patterns of Sudden Loss

The actress also navigated a familial pattern of abrupt medical crises. In 2023, her brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died unexpectedly at age 28. The Guardian reports that Jansen's death was caused by cardiomegaly—an enlarged heart—and aortic valve complications. Panettiere later told People that this loss triggered an extreme anxiety disorder, specifically agoraphobia.

This history of medical instability was compounded by a recent, unexplained episode reported by Smh. Panettiere told Women’s Health that she spent a year recovering from an injury in which she woke up experiencing pins and needles from my waist down, unable to lift her foot or bend her toes, with no solid answer provided by medical professionals.

Her professional life began with a similar intensity; Smh notes she first appeared in a toy commercial at 11 months old and joined the soap opera One Life to Live at age four. She moved from child roles in A Bug's Life and Remember the Titans to global recognition as Claire Bennet in Heroes. Later, she earned two Golden Globe nominations for her role as Juliette Barnes in Nashville, where she performed all her own vocals. The Guardian reports that her struggles with addiction during this period, leading to rehab in 2015, eventually informed some of the show's storylines.

Her final screen appearances included the 2023 film Scream VI and the psychological thriller Sleepwalker, released in January 2026.

In a statement to US network Abc, her father, Skip Panettiere, described his daughter as an incredible light and a force of nature. Industry tributes followed, including a post from Viola Davis, who called Panettiere a phoenix rising from the ashes and an old, wise soul. The screen actors' union SAG-AFTRA, a member since 1994, stated their hearts are with her daughter, family, friends and fans.

The specific cause and manner of death have not been released. Publicist Kasey Kitchen told NBC News that an investigation is ongoing, though it remains unclear if this is a standard coronial inquiry or a full autopsy. Kitchen stated that more information should be known by tomorrow.