Actress Hayden Panettiere dies at 36 as former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko pays tribute

Discovery in South Carolina and emergency response

Emergency responders found American actress Hayden Panettiere unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday midday. Paramedics dispatched to the scene attempted resuscitation for cardiac arrest, but officials pronounced the 36-year-old dead on site. Local police reported that preliminary findings showed no evidence of foul play or suspicious circumstances. Responders reportedly discovered Narcan, an emergency opioid overdose nasal spray, at the location. Panettiere had flown from Los Angeles to South Carolina on Saturday with her partner Brian Hickerson. An official inquiry into the exact cause of death is underway, with details expected on Tuesday.

Wladimir Klitschko honors mother of their daughter

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, who was previously engaged to Panettiere, released a statement on Instagram alongside a family photograph. The 50-year-old athlete addressed the loss and committed to preserving her memory for their 11-year-old daughter, Kaya.

The news of Hayden's tragic death makes me deeply sad. She left this world far too early. Hayden was, even though she was no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter Kaya.

The couple met in 2009, dated between January 2010 and May 2011, and rekindled their relationship before confirming their engagement in 2013. Their daughter was born in December 2014. Following their final separation in August 2018, Klitschko received sole custody of Kaya as Panettiere struggled with depression and alcohol addiction. Kaya lives in Ukraine with her father, maintaining regular contact with Panettiere. Klitschko asked the public to respect the privacy of the family during their period of grief.

Television career and public appearances

Panettiere built a television and film career spanning over two decades, gaining recognition for roles in the series Heroes, the drama series Nashville, and the Scream film franchise. Between 2012 and 2018, she portrayed country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville, starring alongside Connie Britton. In December 2013, Panettiere traveled to Kyiv with Klitschko to address demonstrators during the Euromaidan protests, where Klitschko's brother Vitali served as a protest leader before becoming mayor in 2014. Her final public appearance took place in late May in Los Angeles, where she discussed personal struggles during the presentation of her memoir.

Tributes from family and fellow actors

Family members and former co-stars shared public tributes following the announcement of her death. Her father, Skip Panettiere, issued a statement through television networks confirming the family's loss.

With deep sorrow we announce the tragic death of our beloved Hayden.

Co-stars from her television and film projects also offered condolences. Connie Britton, who played country star Rayna James alongside Panettiere in Nashville, shared her grief on social media.

I have no words for this sad song. Only heartbreak.

Other actors, including Kim Cattrall, Selma Blair, and Scream 6 co-star Melissa Barrera, also published messages mourning Panettiere.