Hayden Panettiere, who became a household name as a teenager for her role in Heroes and later starred in Nashville and multiple Scream films, has died at age 36.
Panettiere was pronounced dead at a South Carolina apartment Sunday, August 16. A cause of death has not been revealed, but an autopsy showed no signs of trauma. Toxicology reports are pending and could take up to 12 weeks, according to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.
A newly released incident report states that the 911 call was made by Brian Hickerson, 37, who is referred to as Panettiere’s boyfriend. He reportedly turned over a “bag of medication” belonging to Panettiere to the police, but the contents of that bag has so far been redacted. His brother Zach Hickerson was also present on the scene. The Independent has approached police for further information.
Now, police have reportedly begun probing whether there could be criminal conduct behind her death. Officers with the Greenville Police Department were seen outside of a Hickerson family home Wednesday morning in photos first obtained by Page Six.
Among her most memorable roles were Sheryl Yoast in the 2000 Denzel Washington-led film Remember the Titans, high school cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s sci-fi drama Heroes (2006-2010), and aspiring country singer Juliette Barnes on the hit TV series Nashville (2012-2018).
Her New York Times bestselling memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, was published in May this year, in which she looked back at her childhood in Hollywood and her experiences with addiction, postpartum depression, abusive relationships, and the loss of custody of her daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with former heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
Key Points
- Heroes and Nashville star Hayden Panettiere dies aged 36
- Wladimir Klitschko breaks silence over ex-fiancée's death
- Police probing Panettiere's death: report
- Cops pay a visit to Panettiere's on-off boyfriend's family home
Hayden Panettiere dead: Heroes and Nashville star dies aged 36
Monday 17 August 2026 05:06 , Shahana Yasmin
Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes, Nashville, and the Scream franchise, has died aged 36.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Panettiere’s father, Skip said in a statement to ABC News. “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.”
No cause of death was announced.
Wladimir Klitschko breaks silence over ex-fiancée's death
Tuesday 18 August 2026 14:44 , Caitlin Hornik
In an Instagram post, Wladimir Klitschko wrote: “Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief.
“The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.
“She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives.
“To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.
“I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden’s parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today. Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.
“I ask everyone to please respect our family’s feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time. For now, this is all I wish to say.
“Thank you to everyone who is supporting my family and expressing their sincere condolences.
“Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace. #WeLoveYouHayden”
PETA praises dedicated animal advocate Hayden Panettiere: 'She was the real deal'
22:42 , Caitlin Hornik
Hayden Panettiere might have been known primarily for her acting, but she was also an avid animal activist, having “paddled into blood-stained waters of Taiji, Japan, to stare down dolphin hunters during their annual massacre” – a moment captured in the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove.
She also “never stopped denouncing marine parks like SeaWorld, calling their confinement of complex, far-ranging marine mammals in concrete tanks ‘disgusting’”.
PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange wrote: “Hayden Panettiere became a household name playing a hero on TV, but to animals, she was the real deal. The world has lost a kind soul and the animals a fierce ally, and everyone at PETA holds her memory close.”
Hayden Panettiere's younger brother died in 2023
22:18 , Caitlin Hornik
Hayden Panettiere’s younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 at the age of 28 due to complications with his heart.
Jansen had an undiagnosed enlarged heart, as well as aortic valve complications.
His sudden death was extremely painful for Hayden, who told People in 2024: He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him.”
“When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul,” she said.
Holly Robinson Peete weighs in on Lesley Vogel's statement after daughter's death
22:06 , Caitlin Hornik
Actor Holly Robinson Peete weighed in on Panettiere’s mother Lesley Vogel’s comments about her daughter’s death.
Sharing an article link to Gayle King’s comments on the same topic, Peete wrote on X: “She’s not wrong. We know this young lady clearly had so many issues, but if you’re not gonna take accountability for the fact that you put her in the business that eventually messed her up then nothing you say has any integrity.
“She didn’t even say ‘I will miss my daughter’ or ‘I loved my daughter the best way I could.’ Has she even mentioned the word daughter? . There were so many things she could have said to show us that she was a caring, mother…
“And now both of her children are gone. It is all so tragic. rip Hayden”
She’s not wrong. We know this young lady clearly had so many issues, but if you’re not gonna take accountability for the fact that you put her in the business that eventually messed her up then nothing you say has any integrity.
— Holly Robinson Peete 💃🏾♍️ (@hollyrpeete) August 19, 2026
She didn’t even say “ I will miss my daughter” or… https://t.co/W1q1L0vq4Y
Gayle King responds to Panettiere's mom's comments
21:54 , Caitlin Hornik
Gayle King responded to comments made by Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, following the death of her daughter.
“You know, guys, you read this and all I can think is, ‘Thanks, Mom, for nothing,’” King said during Wednesday’s CBS Mornings broadcast.
King acknowledged that Panettiere spoke about her “complicated relationship with her mom,” noting that “you hear stuff like that and you realize it was still very much [a work] in progress.”
“It makes me so sad of the opportunity that you have after your daughter’s death that that’s what you choose to leave us with,” King said.
King said earlier this week that Panettiere was “clearly still struggling” in their interview three months before her death.
Carsen Holaday reports:
Gayle King says Hayden Panettiere was ‘clearly still struggling’ in last interview
Panettiere's estranged mother Lesley Vogel speaks out about her daughter's death
21:26 , Caitlin Hornik
Lesley Vogel took aim at Brian Hickerson in her first public comments since the death of her estranged daughter, Hayden Panettiere, telling NBC News:
“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson.”
She added: “I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry - it is a struggle and it's a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.
“I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way, and I wish it were different. I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”
She concluded: “I just feel that she’s with her brother and they’re at peace.” Panettiere’s younger brother Jansen died unexpectedly in 2023 at the age of 28.
A look at Panettiere's career in Hollywood
21:07 , Caitlin Hornik
Hayden Panettiere lent her voice and presence to dozens of films and TV shows throughout her career. Caitlin Hornik looks back:
On-screen sister pays tribute
20:43 , Caitlin Hornik
Brittany Snow, who played Hayden Panettiere’s on-screen sister in Guiding Light, remembered the late actor as a “bright shining light” on social media.
“I was lucky enough to play your sister for 3 years,” she wrote on her Instagram story.
“I related to you so much in so many ways. Ways that I never even told you. Your talent was remarkable & so was your determination to be a bold, bright shining light. And you were.”
She continued: “Always supportive, curious, funny and brave. You will always be remembered undoubtedly for your undeniable strength and spirit.”
Luxury apartment complex issues statement to residents
20:19 , Caitlin Hornik
Hayden Panettiere was found dead Sunday at Judson Mill Lofts, a luxury apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina.
After news of her death was released, the apartment released the following statement to residents, according to the Greenville News.
“We understand that a visible emergency and law enforcement response can be unsettling, and we appreciate your patience, discretion and understanding,” the statement said.
Residents were assured that there was “no threat” to their community.
Full autopsy report could take up to 8 weeks
20:03 , Caitlin Hornik
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office told The Independent that the autopsy was completed Monday but that results were pending. However, “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.”
It could also take up to eight weeks for the autopsy report to be updated with results. Toxicology results will also take weeks, the coroner’s office confirmed.
Neutrogena stock tumbles as fans vow to boycott after Panettiere death
19:40 , Caitlin Hornik
Neutrogena is facing a boycott and swarms of social media backlash over a story from Panettiere that has resurfaced after her sudden death at 36.
In the months before her death, Panettiere spoke about the skincare brand ending her contract after 10 years following her comments about mental health made on live TV.
Now, the renewed backlash against Neutrogena and calls for a boycott have affected the brand’s stock. The New York Post reported Tuesday that stock prices for Kenvue Inc. — Neutrogena’s parent company which also owns Tylenol, Band-Aid and Aveeno — fell over two percent Monday due. The stock appeared to have begun recovering by Wednesday morning.
Carsen Holaday reports:
Neutrogena stock tumbles as fans vow to boycott after Hayden Panettiere death
Panettiere's 2020 statement after Brian Hickerson arrest
19:17 , Caitlin Hornik
Panettiere released the following statement after the 2020 arrest of Brian Hickerson on domestic violence charges: “I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve.
“I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again.”
'Raising Helen' co-star recalls 13-year-old Panettiere lifting his spirits on set
19:08 , Caitlin Hornik
Joseph Mazzello has recalled how Panettiere gave him a lift when the pair starred together in 2004’s Raising Helen.
Mazzello wrote in an Instagram post: “I was kind of at a low point in my career, having to prove myself again as a young adult, so I took a small role in the movie Raising Helen because of the legendary director Gary Marshall. The role got even smaller cause my main scene was cut out of the script for being too similar to another comedy at the time, but I still did it even though I felt kind of down about myself for it.
“My first day I was sitting alone at lunch and a 13 year old Hayden Panettiere came and sat down next to me and exclaimed, ‘What the f*** are you doing here?’ I didn’t know what she meant exactly so I stammered. She then said ‘you’re so talented and do so much amazing work, why are you doing this bit part in this movie?; The truth was because this business is tough, but that little exchange made me feel so much better about my life and career, that someone who was clearly a rising star knew me, noticed, and gave me a boost of self confidence in a moment I was severely lacking it.
“We didn’t stay in touch much. I only saw her one other time after that movie, but I always was happy every time I saw her succeed. SHE was so talented. SHE did such amazing work. I’m so sad we won’t see more of it. My heart goes out to Hayden and her family.”
Ice Princess director remembers Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg
18:53 , Caitlin Hornik
Tim Fywell, who directed Disney’s beloved 2005 ice skating movie Ice Princess, has reflected on the tragic fact that both of the film’s star have now died prematurely.
The death of Panettiere follows that of Michelle Trachtenberg, who died last year at the age of 39.
In a statement to Variety, Fywell said: “It was really upsetting to hear yesterday of the death of Hayden Panettiere at the age of 36. I remember a brave, sparky, dedicated young actress who lit up the set in rehearsals and then the screen with her vibrant talent. Michelle Trachtenberg, Hayden’s co-star in the movie, and she were an amazing pair.”
Fywell added that the pair had “very different personalities.” While Trachtenberg was “kooky, fun, with an infectious laugh and her brilliant sad-funny comic timing,” Panettiere was “plucky and determined and perfectionist, spending hours practicing her skating and utterly focused on getting every acting take spot-on and truthful. Which she did.”
Fywell concluded: “In what was often a tough and technically complicated shoot, and my first Hollywood movie, they were delightful to work with and great to have around. I remember them both with huge affection, how they were 20 odd years ago, at that relatively uncomplicated time of their lives, two shining talents, gone far too soon.”
Hayden Panettiere was a passionate advocate of Ukraine
18:38 , Caitlin Hornik
Panettiere’s daughter moved to Ukraine to live with her father, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, in 2018, when Russia had illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and separatist forces were fighting Ukrainian troops in the Donbas region.
When Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in February 2022, Klitschko, whose brother Vitalii is the mayor of Kyiv and also a former boxing champion, enlisted in the army. Kaya, the outlet reported, was not in Ukraine from the early days of the war.
Panettiere posted repeated messages of solidarity with Ukraine on Instagram in the years that followed.
“I have personally witnessed the strength of the Ukrainian people who fought so hard for their independence and have continued to passionately defend their country over the years. What Putin is doing is an absolute disgrace!,” she wrote on Instagram shortly after the invasion.
“This horrific moment in history sends a terrifying message: the message that in this day and age, in year 2022, it’s okay to violate the rights of free people and allow autocrats like Putin to take whatever they please,” she added.
Hayden Panettiere's history with on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson
18:21 , Caitlin Hornik
When Hayden Panettiere died on Sunday, the 36-year-old Heroes and Nashville star was in South Carolina with an on-and-off boyfriend she’d once described as her “abuser.”
Here is what we know about Hickerson:
Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend was there when she died. Their history is complicated
I interviewed Hayden Panettiere twice – and both times left me incredibly sad
18:09 , Caitlin Hornik
The Heroes and Nashville star, who has died at the age of 36, was grief-stricken, traumatized, and – despite promoting a memoir she described as ‘brutally honest’ – seemed not entirely ready to discuss her very difficult past in the press.
Adam White reports:
I interviewed Hayden Panettiere twice – and both times left me incredibly sad
Police probing Panettiere's death: report
17:42 , Caitlin Hornik
TMZ reported Wednesday morning that police are probing whether there was criminal conduct involved in Panettiere’s death.
The Heroes star was found in cardiac arrest at a South Carolina apartment Sunday, August 16.
Her on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, gave police who arrived at the scene a “bag of medication” Panettiere was taking at the time of her death, according to a police report viewed by The Independent.
Panettiere had hired security in recent months, source says
17:23 , Caitlin Hornik
According to The New York Times, Panettiere hired private security in March to keep her on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson away.
Panettiere's emotional journal entry about relationship with Brian Hickerson
16:47 , Caitlin Hornik
In June, Panettiere shared a journal entry she had written reflecting on their relationship on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast.
“I realized that I was more afraid of being alone than being abused,” she said.
“In order to be around that behavior, it took me dulling my senses and numbing myself with substances in order to silence that rational voice in my head that was telling me exactly what was going on, and the many reasons why I needed to get myself out of this toxic relationship and as far away from this person as possible.”
Abigail Breslin pays tribute to 'Raising Helen' co-star
16:39 , Caitlin Hornik
“So funny, so kind, so beautiful, so talented. Such a bright light. I’m still in shock and heartbroken that you’re gone. I love you, Haydini. You will be so missed. Rest in peace, my sweet friend,” Breslin wrote of her Raising Helen co-star in an Instagram post accompanied by a throwback photo with Panettiere.
Brian Hickerson dealt legal blow in Panettiere case days before star's death
16:22 , Caitlin Hornik
Brian Hickerson, Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend, was denied a request to expunge and downgrade his previous felony charges to misdemeanors days before the Heroes star’s death.
The charges stemmed from several alleged incidents involving Panettiere between May 2019 and January 2020.
Following his July 2020 arrest, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend. He was hit with an eight-count criminal indictment in April 2021.
Hickerson was sentenced to 45 days in jail in 2021, along with four years of probation, 52 mandatory domestic violence classes, and a five-year restraining order.
Page Six reported that Hickerson’s request was denied during an August 13 court hearing, despite arguing that the terms of his probation had been met. Hickerson previously made the same request in July 2025, which was also denied.
Hickerson was with Panettiere at the time of her death.
Panettiere still struggled with decades-old injuries
16:05 , Caitlin Hornik
In her 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, Panettiere recalled being thrown from a zebra while filming the 2005 movie, Racing Stripes.
Just 14 years old at the time, Panettiere suffered damage to two vertebrae in her neck, a concussion and severe whiplash.
“I kept my mouth shut and endured the pain in my back and neck,” she wrote in her memoir.
“Over 20 years later, these injuries still bother me.”
Cops spotted at Hickerson family home days after Panettiere's death
15:47 , Caitlin Hornik
Police have been spotted at a Hickerson family residence about five miles from where Panettiere died Sunday.
Her on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach were both with her when she died.
Now, Page Six reported Wednesday that cops were seen outside a home belonging to the Hickerson brothers’ grandmother.
A pair of officers were seen around 8:20 a.m. ET knocking on front and side doors of the residence. They returned about 90 minutes later to “conduct a welfare check,” the outlet reported.
However, it was not clear who the intended target of the welfare check was.
The Independent has contacted the Greenville Police Department for more information.
Panettiere's 'Heroes' co-star says she 'knew every crew member’s name'
15:38 , Caitlin Hornik
Sendhil Ramamurthy, who starred alongside the late actor on the NBC show Heroes, recalled Panettiere’s kindness.
“I learned a lot from her. She stuck up for background actors when they were mistreated, knew every crew member’s name, and was so generous with her time,” Ramamurthy wrote on Instagram.
“Sending love to her family, friends, and my fellow cast mates, RIP Hayd. You will be missed.”
Steven Tyler pays tribute to his 'dear friend'
15:24 , Caitlin Hornik
The Aerosmith rocker and Panettiere partnered for a duet of the Patsy Cline song “Crazy” for a 2015 episode of Nashville.
Speaking to TMZ, Tyler said: “She was a dear friend of mine. I loved her dearly. And I feel bad for her mom. Big love to her.”
Filmmaker recalls Panettiere's on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson being on movie set
15:03 , Caitlin Hornik
Filmmaker Griff Furst worked with Panettiere on A Breed Apart, which was released in theaters in May 2025.
In an Instagram video shared August 17, Furst recalled Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson being on set.
“I had met Hayden about 10 years before that and I knew that she was insanely talented, so when she signed on to do this picture that we were shooting, I was psyched. I really wanted to work with her. So I’m on set, and I get word from the movie’s security team who picked her up from the airport that something was off,” Furst said in the video.
“I didn’t think much about it, and so I left set and I walked over to greet her and her boyfriend Brian. He opened the door. Hayden was incredibly sweet and gracious and excited to work, but she was not okay,” he continued.
“I’m not going to get into the details of why that was, but having worked on over 100 movies and seeing just about everything, it was pretty clear that she wasn’t okay and the energy in her room was pretty dark.”
Baseball star's ties to Panettiere resurface
14:41 , Caitlin Hornik
MLB star Pete Crow-Armstrong comes from a family of actors, including his mom, Ashley Crow, who played Hayden Panettiere’s mother on the hit NBC show Heroes.
The Chicago Cubs center fielder confessed his affection for Panettiere to NBC Chicago in a 2022 interview.
“Hayden Panettiere babysat me. I had the biggest crush on her,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Yeah, I’d say she was probably the coolest one for me.
“I liked being around the older actors, and I liked being babysat by my mom’s co-stars and whatnot.”
Jay Shetty is 'devastated and heartbroken' over Panettiere
14:27 , Caitlin Hornik
Podcaster Shetty shared a tribute on social media Tuesday, months after he sat with Panettiere for what would turn out to be one of her final interviews.
“I’ve been devastated and heartbroken since I heard the news. I’m in shock and have been processing for the past day on your legacy and our loss,” he wrote.
“Just a few months ago, I had the privilege of sitting down with you on On Purpose. After the episode you told me it was truly healing. You said I was now like a big brother to you and that I helped you be brave,” he continued.
“But Hayden, you were the brave one. You were courageous, resilient, and so incredibly strong through so many difficult moments in your life. You should never have had to experience the things you did.”
Dear Hayden.
— Jay Shetty (@jayshetty) August 18, 2026
I’ve been devastated and heartbroken since I heard the news. I’m in shock and have been processing for the past day on your legacy and our loss.
Just a few months ago, I had the privilege of sitting down with you on On Purpose. After the episode you told me it… pic.twitter.com/iYEMOEybgs
Hayden Panettiere said she had 'a lot of life left to live'
14:10 , Caitlin Hornik
In one of her last interviews with podcaster Jay Shetty in the months before her death, Hayden Panettiere spoke about her future with hope.
PETA praises dedicated animal advocate Hayden Panettiere: 'She was the real deal'
13:53 , Caitlin Hornik
Hayden Panettiere might have been known primarily for her acting, but she was also an avid animal activist, having “paddled into blood-stained waters of Taiji, Japan, to stare down dolphin hunters during their annual massacre” – a moment captured in the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove.
She also “never stopped denouncing marine parks like SeaWorld, calling their confinement of complex, far-ranging marine mammals in concrete tanks ‘disgusting’”.
PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange wrote: “Hayden Panettiere became a household name playing a hero on TV, but to animals, she was the real deal. The world has lost a kind soul and the animals a fierce ally, and everyone at PETA holds her memory close.”
Hayden Panettiere's younger brother died in 2023
13:34 , Caitlin Hornik
Hayden Panettiere’s younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 at the age of 28 due to complications with his heart.
Jansen had an undiagnosed enlarged heart, as well as aortic valve complications.
His sudden death was extremely painful for Hayden, who told People in 2024: He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him.”
“When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul,” she said.
Hayden Panettiere's personal career highlight
13:18 , Caitlin Hornik
Hayden Panettiere said the 2000 film Remember the Titans was her favorite to shoot.
“This movie was my favorite movie to film, what an incredible time in my life,” she told Entertainment Weekly in 2013.
In the Denzel Washington film, she played Sheryl Yoast, the daughter of assistant high school football coach Bill Yoast, played by Will Patton.
“That's just pure me that look. That is like from, oh my gosh - I mean, I was 10 years old. I had such cute boys around me, I was surrounded by the cutest boys. Kate Bosworth was like my big sister, was close to everyone,” she continued.
“I mean, you have no idea how many times in my life I have wished and prayed - if I had wished to go back to any time in my life, it would be going back to Remember the Titans.”
Hayden Panettiere's 'last act of kindness'
12:45 , Jacob Stolworthy
Just weeks before Hayden Panettiere’s passing, the actor – a fierce advocate for animal rights – starred in a new campaign protesting marine parks like SeaWorld.
PETA US has shared the ad in tribute to Panettiere’s life and legacy of compassion:
Full autopsy report could take up to 8 weeks
12:25 , Jacob Stolworthy
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office told The Independent that the autopsy was completed Monday, but that results were pending. However, “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.”
It could also take up to eight weeks for the autopsy report to be updated with results. Toxicology results will also take weeks, the coroner’s office confirmed.
Hayden Panettiere was a passionate advocate of Ukraine
12:02 , Jacob Stolworthy
Panettiere’s daughter moved to Ukraine to live with her father, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, in 2018, when Russia had illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and separatist forces were fighting Ukrainian troops in the Donbas region.
When Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in February 2022, Klitschko, whose brother Vitalii is the mayor of Kyiv and also a former boxing champion, enlisted in the army. Kaya, the outlet reported, was not in Ukraine from the early days of the war.
Panettiere posted repeated messages of solidarity with Ukraine on Instagram in the years that followed.
“I have personally witnessed the strength of the Ukrainian people who fought so hard for their independence and have continued to passionately defend their country over the years. What Putin is doing is an absolute disgrace!,” she wrote on Instagram shortly after the invasion.
“This horrific moment in history sends a terrifying message: the message that in this day and age, in year 2022, it’s okay to violate the rights of free people and allow autocrats like Putin to take whatever they please,” she added.
Hayden Panettiere's tragic quest to outrun her child stardom
11:20 , Jacob Stolworthy
It’s clear that Hollywood has created a market that urgently needs abolishing, says Claire Cohen.
What parent would actually wish fame on their own child?
Hayden Panettiere's history wth on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson
11:05 , Jacob Stolworthy
When Hayden Panettiere died on Sunday, the 36-year-old Heroes and Nashville star was in South Carolina with an on-and-off boyfriend she’d once described as her “abuser.”
Here is what we know about Hickerson:
Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend was there when she died. Their history is complicated
I interviewed Hayden Panettiere twice – and both times left me incredibly sad
10:50 , Adam White
The ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ star, who has died at the age of 36, was grief-stricken, traumatised, and – despite promoting a memoir she described as ‘brutally honest’ – seemed not entirely ready to discuss her very difficult past in the press.
I interviewed Hayden Panettiere twice – and both times left me incredibly sad
Panettiere's estranged mother speaks out about her daughter's death
10:25 , Jacob Stolworthy
Lesley Vogel took aim at Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson in her first public comments since the death of her daughter, Hayden Panettiere, telling NBC News: “This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson.”
Vogel, who was estranged from Panettiere at the time of her death, added: “I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry - it is a struggle and it's a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.
“I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way, and I wish it were different. I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”
She concluded: “I just feel that she’s with her brother and they’re at peace.” Panettiere’s younger brother Jansen died unexpectedly in 2023 at the age of 28.
Panettiere’s relationship with Vogel had become strained long before her death. In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, she wrote that the boundary between mother and manager had blurred as she grew up, leaving her feeling she had become “the confidant and the assistant and the therapist and the shoulder to cry on and everything but her child”.
'Ice Princess' director remembers Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg
10:00 , Jacob Stolworthy
Tim Fywell, who directed Disney’s beloved 2005 ice skating movie Ice Princess, has reflected on the tragic fact that both of the film’s star have now died prematurely.
The death of Panettiere follows that of Michelle Trachtenberg, who died last year at the age of 39.
In a statement to Variety, Fywell said: “It was really upsetting to hear yesterday of the death of Hayden Panettiere at the age of 36. I remember a brave, sparky, dedicated young actress who lit up the set in rehearsals and then the screen with her vibrant talent. Michelle Trachtenberg, Hayden’s co-star in the movie, and she were an amazing pair.”
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Fywell added that the pair had “very different personalities.” While Trachtenberg was “kooky, fun, with an infectious laugh and her brilliant sad-funny comic timing,” Panettiere was “plucky and determined and perfectionist, spending hours practicing her skating and utterly focused on getting every acting take spot-on and truthful. Which she did.”
Fywell concluded: “In what was often a tough and technically complicated shoot, and my first Hollywood movie, they were delightful to work with and great to have around. I remember them both with huge affection, how they were 20 odd years ago, at that relatively uncomplicated time of their lives, two shining talents, gone far too soon.”
Hayden Panettiere: 'I think a lot about what my life could have been like if I did that film'
09:40 , Adam White
A few years ago, during a conversation with her former agent, Hayden Panettiere discovered the truth about a situation that had always nagged at her. In 2000, when she was an 11-year-old child actor Panettiere was fired from David Fincher’s home invasion thriller Panic Room after Nicole Kidman left the project, due to an injury. Or so she was told.
In fact, Fincher had wanted Panettiere to stay on with Jodie Foster, who was replacing Kidman. But he’d asked her mother if Panettiere could cut her hair into a bob, in order to better match Foster. Panettiere’s mother refused.
“I was so out of the loop,” Panettiere recalled in an interview with The Independent in May. “And it was one of the harder things that I’ve experienced. I didn’t think it was fair. And I think a lot about what my life could have been like if I did that film. What parts could I have played? What person would I have been?”
She met Panic Room’s eventual child star, Kristen Stewart, at a friend’s birthday party days before the interview. “We talked about everything that happened, and she was so kind. I felt like, finally, I was able to get it off my chest and let it go.”
Incident report confirms Panettiere's on-off boyfriend and brother called police
09:20 , Jacob Stolworthy
Police in Greenville, South Carolina, have released an incident report revealing further details about the circumstances of Panettiere’s death.
As local station WYFF4 reports, Panettiere died in an apartment at Judson Mill Lofts on Easley Bridge Road.
Brian Hickerson, 37, who is referred to as Panettiere’s boyfriend, was also present at the apartment with his brother, Zach.
According to the report, the men say they made the 911 call.
The report also states that Brian Hickerson turned over a bag of Panettiere’s medications, but the list of those medications was redacted.
'Heroes' creator Tim Kring posts essay on Hayden Panettiere
09:00 , Jacob Stolworthy
Tim Kring’s Heroes became such a success in huge part to Hayden Panettiere’s spirited lead performance.
In a new essay posted on Variety, he said the late actor “was a true team player, which was important for a show with a large ensemble cast”.
He recalled her ability to cry on cue “with intensity for 12 takes in a row”, adding: ”When the director yelled ‘Cut,’ she’d go back to texting her friends or laughing with her castmates right up until the moment the director called ‘Action’ for the next take.”
Kring said that, while he didn’t have too much contact with Panettiere after the show ended, “a few years later, when I inquired with her agent about her availability for another project, Hayden called immediately and teasingly admonished me”.
She told him: “You don’t have to call my agent. Don’t be Hollywood about it. Just pick up the phone and call me.”
Michelle Rodriguez recalls Hayden Panettiere as ‘happy and joyous’
08:45 , Shahana Yasmin
Fast & Furious star Michelle Rodriguez has shared a memory of Hayden Panettiere from the 2010 World Music Awards, where the two actresses co-hosted the ceremony in Monaco.
“Her curious spirit and how happy and joyous she is, because that’s her memory, right?” she told Variety. “I’ve got to tell you, man, I just can’t stand how many young people are leaving us lately. It’s disheartening, and it’s making me think, ‘What’s going on?’ It’s not normal.”
Hayden Panettiere says she was ‘put into bed’ with ‘undressed’ actor when she was 18
08:30 , Shahana Yasmin
Hayden Panettiere wrote in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning about an encounter with a powerful television executive when she was 18, describing being taken to a boat where she discovered the man was naked.
Panettiere did not identify the person who led her into the situation, but said it was someone she had “grown to trust and see as a protector and somebody who had my back”.
She continued: “She physically put me in the bed next to this undressed man who was very famous and this was just an average day for him and this is something that happens all the time.”
She recalled that she initially had no reason to suspect anything was wrong, saying: “There was no hint of anything like that happening. So it took me by surprise.”
Panettiere said she then went into survival mode, writing: “That lion in me, that fire in me … my hair stood on end and I became ferocious. I was like, ‘This is not happening.’ But I had nowhere to hide. I bolted. I hid wherever I could think to hide on a boat. There was no jumping off and swimming away.”
The heartbreaking family struggles that shaped Hayden Panettiere’s life off screen
08:15 , Shahana Yasmin
The heartbreaking family struggles that shaped Hayden Panettiere’s life off screen
Wladimir Klitschko vows to keep Hayden Panettiere’s memory alive for their daughter
08:00 , Shahana Yasmin
Wladimir Klitschko has spoken about Hayden Panettiere’s death for the first time, promising to make sure their 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, grows up knowing her mother with love and respect.
Klitschko and Panettiere began dating in 2009 and welcomed Kaya in 2014, before ending their relationship in 2018. Panettiere later gave Klitschko primary custody while she sought treatment for addiction and postpartum depression.
In a statement shared on Instagram, Klitschko described Panettiere as “an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya”.
He added: “To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.”
Hayden Panettiere wrote about the pain of motherhood and postpartum depression
07:45 , Shahana Yasmin
Panettiere was unusually candid about motherhood in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, describing how difficult it was to bond with Kaya after the onset of postpartum depression.
“I wasn’t OK,” she wrote. “I had to figure out how to bond with her. It felt like an insurmountable task, and I was only on the first day.”
She later said she had been diagnosed with postpartum depression when Kaya was four months old, while anxiety and addiction further complicated her early years as a mother.
In a May interview with Jay Shetty, Panettiere pushed back against the idea that she had abandoned Kaya when she gave Klitschko custody in 2018. She said the decision came while she was struggling with postpartum depression, anxiety and addiction and trying to get well.
“The idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be OK with it is heartbreaking,” she said. “Couldn’t be farther from the truth.”
Hayden Panettiere discusses her bond with daughter Kaya in final interview
07:30 , Kevin Perry
Hayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend was at apartment where she died, police report says
07:15 , Shahana Yasmin
Hayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were at the South Carolina apartment where the actor died over the weekend, according to a police report released Tuesday.
A Greenville police officer who responded to the residence Sunday afternoon was met by the brothers and then observed paramedics performing CPR on an unresponsive woman, the report states.
“The patient did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive,” the officer notes. After attempting lifesaving measures, the emergency workers declared Panettiere dead at 2.31 pm.
Hayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend was at apartment where she died, police report says
Director Griff Furst criticised for remarks about Hayden Panettiere on set
07:00 , Shahana Yasmin
Griff Furst, who directed Hayden Panettiere in the 2025 thriller A Breed Apart, has faced criticism after describing the actor as “not okay” when she arrived on set and saying “the energy in her room was pretty dark”.
Furst said he had known Panettiere for about a decade and was excited to work with her, but was warned by the film’s security team that “something was off” when they collected her from the airport.
He said Panettiere was “incredibly sweet and gracious and excited to work”, but added: “She was not okay.”
The comments drew criticism from fans, with one accusing Furst of “ambulance chasing”.
Actor Alexandra Grey questioned whether the details were appropriate to share so soon after Panettiere’s death, writing: “I think the only thing that we want [to] hear is that you are grateful that you had an opportunity to work with such a talented individual.”
Furst later said he had spoken out because tabloids were seeking comments and he wanted to prevent his words being “taken out of context”. “Let’s keep the focus where it belongs: on the realities of addiction,” he wrote.
Hayden Panettiere said Nashville became ‘a distorted reflection’ of her life
06:45 , Shahana Yasmin
Hayden Panettiere wrote in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning that playing troubled country singer Juliette Barnes on Nashville became increasingly difficult as the character’s story began to mirror her own struggles.
“I realised they were modeling the script after my life,” she wrote, describing the experience as “looking in a funhouse mirror, seeing a distorted reflection” and “diving headfirst into my own hell”.
Juliette’s storylines included postpartum depression, addiction and a custody battle – experiences that closely reflected Panettiere’s own life after the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014.
In a May interview with Jay Shetty, she said: “I didn’t know where Juliette began and Hayden ended. I didn’t even realise I was becoming her constantly, and I wasn’t able to take care of myself.”
Neutrogena under fire again for dropping Hayden Panettiere after she revealed postpartum depression struggle
06:30 , Shahana Yasmin
Neutrogena is facing a boycott and swarms of social media backlash over a story from Hayden Panettiere that has resurfaced after her sudden death at 36.
The Heroes star, who was the face of the popular skincare brand for about 10 years, said in her 2026 memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning that Neutrogena severed ties with her after she spoke publicly about receiving mental health treatment for postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014.
Panettiere alleged that her contract with the company was canceled because she revealed her PPD diagnosis on Live! with Kelly and Michael in 2015, explaining in her memoir: “Neutrogena canceled my long-standing contract, and it was yet another blow in a year that had given almost nothing else.”
Read the full report here:
Neutrogena faces renewed backlash after Hayden Panettiere’s death
Panettiere's Remember the Titans co-star reveals he smoked heroin at film’s premiere: ‘I believed I wouldn’t wake up’
06:15 , Shahana Yasmin
Ethan Suplee has paid tribute to his Remember the Titans co-star Hayden Panettiere, sharing how her “energy and innocence” briefly healed him during a difficult period.
Sharing an old photo of him holding Panettiere at the film’s red carpet premiere, Suplee recalled on Instagram how she “ran up to me, leaped into my arms, and gave me a big hug.”
“Holding her I was lighter, some of her energy and innocence washed over me, and for a moment my smile was genuine,” he added in the caption, revealing that soon after, he “went from the press line to the bathroom and smoked heroin.”
Remember the Titans star reveals he smoked heroin at film’s premiere
Mariska Hargitay recalls Hayden Panettiere’s ‘light’ after SVU appearances
05:45 , Shahana Yasmin
Mariska Hargitay has shared a tribute to Hayden Panettiere, who appeared twice on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit before becoming a star in Heroes and Nashville.
Hargitay posted a black-and-white photograph from Panettiere’s second appearance on the crime drama, which aired in 2005. Panettiere first appeared on SVU in 2001, playing troubled teenager Ashley Austin, before returning four years later as another character, Angela Agnelli.
“Holding you in my heart. Heartbroken about your hard journey. Remembering your light,” Hargitay wrote alongside the photograph.
Panettiere was 12 during her first SVU appearance and 16 when she returned to the series.
Panettiere spoke about her relationship with her daughter, Kaya
05:30 , Kevin Perry
Panettiere gave birth to her daughter with her ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko in 2014. She then gave Klitschko full custody of Kaya in 2018 amid her severe postpartum depression.
“It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but I wanted to be a good mom,” she told People in 2022.
“And sometimes that means letting go.”
Panettiere added: “She has a beautiful life. She’s smart, she’s funny, and for whatever reason, she still loves me.”
Solange Knowles calls Hayden Panettiere a ‘warrior’ in tribute
05:15 , Shahana Yasmin
Solange Knowles has shared a tribute to Hayden Panettiere, her co-star in the 2006 cheerleading film Bring It On: All or Nothing.
“Rest in peace Hayden. In peace, because you are so deserving of it,” Knowles wrote on Instagram Stories. “We had so many parallels in our lives, and the world watched you so courageously live in your radical truth telling your story: we watched your endless quest for vulnerability, and healing.”
Knowles called them “warriors for life” and said she would “salute your journey” and the work they created together, which “became something that really means something to people”.
“The light surrounds you,” she wrote.
Hayden Panettiere’s estranged mother speaks about her daughter after her death
05:12 , Shahana Yasmin
Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, has spoken publicly for the first time since her daughter’s death, saying the actor was “an amazingly talented person” but had struggled with growing up in the entertainment industry.
She also took aim at Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, who was with her daughter at the time of her death, telling NBC News: “This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson.”
Vogel, who was estranger from Panettiere at the time of her death, continued: “I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments. I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry – it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.”
“I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way,” she continued. “I wish it were different. I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”
She added: “I just feel that she’s with her brother and they’re at peace.” Panettiere’s younger brother, Jansen, died in 2023 aged 28.
Panettiere’s relationship with Vogel had become strained long before her death. In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, she wrote that the boundary between mother and manager had blurred as she grew up, leaving her feeling she had become “the confidant and the assistant and the therapist and the shoulder to cry on and everything but her child”.
Police report sheds new light on Hayden Panettiere’s death
05:00 , Shahana Yasmin
A police report has provided new details about the circumstances surrounding Hayden Panettiere’s death, including the presence of Brian Hickerson, referred to as her boyfriend, and his brother Zach at the Greenville, South Carolina, apartment where she was found.
As local station WYFF4 reports, the brothers called 911 after finding Panettiere unresponsive at Judson Mill Lofts.
Brian, 37, also handed officers a bag containing Panettiere’s medication, although the names of the drugs were redacted.
The officer wrote: “I observed Zach to be very emotional while EMS [Emergency Medical Services] were working on Hayden. Brian did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased.”
Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2.31pm. Police said there were no signs of foul play, while the cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and toxicology results.
Bring It On co-star Gustavo Carr says Hayden Panettiere brought ‘a piece of her soul’ to acting
04:45 , Shahana Yasmin
Gustavo Carr described his Bring It On: All or Nothing co-star Hayden Panettiere as “wise beyond her years”.
Carr played Jesse, Panettiere’s love interest Britney in the 2006 cheerleading sequel. “What I would give to just have been able to give her one more hug,” he told People magazine.
“She just was wise beyond her years and present. The artist that she is – I don’t think we give her enough credit for how the prodigy that she is in my eyes, the level of expertise in her craft.”
Carr said the pair “were friends from the jump”, remembering the “banter” behind their memorable krump-style dance-off in the film.
hayden panettiere has passed away, rest in peace my krumping queen i’m gonna stream bring it on all day 😫 pic.twitter.com/XpMLQ4O3aF
— brie ꕤ ₊˚⊹🕷 (@heavensballroom) August 17, 2026
“She was a kind, supportive, giving, lighthearted, funny human,” he said. “You can tell she’s just bringing a piece of her soul to her work.”
“I hope that people can give her the flowers that she deserves,” Carr added. “She was a prodigy. She is a prodigy.”
'I didn't get a chance to be a kid,' Panettiere said
04:30 , Kevin Perry
Speaking to People in 2022 about her career as a child star, Panettiere said: “There are happy memories, but there was also a lot of trauma.
“Crying over and over again [for a scene], what does that do to a child’s mind, when they’re praised for feeling sad?”
“I didn’t get a chance to be a kid,” she continued.
“And when I was at school, I was bullied. The lunchroom was the bane of my existence. I was only about 12 when I had an identity crisis. I just didn’t know where I fit in.”
Guiding Light co-stars recall Hayden Panettiere as a ‘brilliant’ young actor
04:21 , Shahana Yasmin
Hayden Panettiere’s former Guiding Light co-stars have been sharing memories of her as a child actor, with Beth Chamberlin describing her as “the most brilliant child actor I’ve ever seen”.
Chamberlin, who played Hayden’s on-screen mother Beth Raines, worked with her from 1996 to 2000, when Panettiere played Lizzie Spaulding. “The things she could do, the way she could remember 20+ pages of dialogue, day after day. Even on days where the director would come out between dress and tape and make huge cuts to the scenes, Hayden, never once forgot a line or missed her blocking,” she wrote on Instagram.
Brittany Snow, who played Lizzie’s stepsister Daisy Lemay, said: “I was lucky enough to play your sister for 3 years. I related to you so much in so many ways. Ways that I never even told you.”
She continued: “Always supportive, curious, funny and brave. You will always be remembered undoubtedly for your undeniable strength and spirit.”
Tina Sloan, who played Lizzie’s grandmother Lillian Raines, also shared a tribute, calling Panettiere “a star”.
Hilary Duff recalls late-night chats with Hayden Panettiere as young stars
04:00 , Shahana Yasmin
Hilary Duff has spoken about her friendship with Hayden Panettiere, remembering “staying up late, chatting, and gossiping” while both were young stars navigating life in Hollywood.
“Sweet Hayden. Really tough hearing this news,” Duff wrote. “We lost touch through the years but I will always remember you as so hardworking and effervescent, with that big, gorgeous smile.”
Duff said they both belonged to “such a small sliver of people who actually understood the strange lot in life we were navigating” and were “so young, with no real idea how to make sense of any of it” .
“I so deeply wish this wasn’t the end for you,” she added. “Sending a heart full of love to your family, the many people you impacted and everyone who loved you. Rest easy.”
Duff and Panettiere were both prominent young stars in the early 2000s, though they never starred together.
Hayden Panettiere's relationship with Klitschko and daughter, Kaya
03:35 , Kevin Perry
Hayden Panettiere met former world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2009 and they started dating soon after. After an initial split in 2011, they reunited in 2013 and had a daughter, Kaya, the following year.
Following this, Panettiere had postpartum depression, which led to an addiction to alcohol and opioids. While she dealt with her struggles, she gave full custody of Kaya to Klitchsko, who moved her to Ukraine.
Reflecting on this, Panettiere called her decision a “living nightmare” that “wasn’t fully” her decision. But after going to rehab for eight months in 2020, she maintained a good co-parenting relationship with Klitchsko, and the pair remained close until her death. Kaya is now 11.
The Independent interviewed Hayden Panettiere in May
02:30 , Kevin Perry
In May 2026, Hayden Panettiere gave one of her final interviews to The Independent, which we have republished. In it, the Heroes and Nashville star spoke about domestic violence, her estrangement from her mother, and being fired from the movie that could have changed her life.
Hayden Panettiere: ‘My mom wasn’t interested in having a normal relationship with me’
Hayden Panettiere speaking about being 'fired' from Neutrogena
01:40 , Kevin Perry
Hayden Panettiere's younger brother died in 2023
Wednesday 19 August 2026 00:25 , Kevin Perry
Hayden Panettiere’s younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 at the age of 28 due to complications with his heart.
Jansen had an undiagnosed enlarged heart, as well as aortic valve complications.
His sudden death was extremely painful for Hayden, who told People in 2024: He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him.”
“When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul,” she said.
Hayden Panettiere was estranged from 'complex' mother
Tuesday 18 August 2026 23:30 , Kevin Perry
Hayden Panettiere opened up about her relationship with her “complex” mother, Lesley Vogel, who signed her up to an acting and modelling agent when she was just four months old.
However, growing up, Panettiere said that receiving praise for her work “was also all wrapped up in pleasing” her mother, who had some success as a soap star in the 1980s.
Panettiere wrote about her mother in her memoir earlier this year, revealing that if she “wasn’t honest about my relationship with her, I wouldn’t be being honest at all” as she is “a huge part of the person I am today”.
Panettiere cut professional ties with her mother while working on Heroes, aged 19. She asked to meet her in her trailer, and begged her to just be her mother. “All I wanted was a dynamic that didn’t involve contracts, producers, boho tops, or drinking wine at industry parties,” she wrote in the memoir.
Vogel, Panettiere claimed, “picked up her purse, clenched her jaw, and looked straight at me. ‘You owe me,’ she answered. Then she turned around and walked out of my trailer ... I knew I’d done the right thing, but I sensed something in me had died.”
Before her death, Panettiere said they were estranged, but expressed hope that they would one day reconcile.
Ice Princess director remembers Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg
Tuesday 18 August 2026 22:35 , Kevin Perry
Tim Fywell, who directed Disney’s beloved 2005 ice skating movie Ice Princess, has reflected on the tragic fact that both of the film’s star have now died prematurely.
The death of Panettiere follows that of Michelle Trachtenberg, who died last year at the age of 39.
In a statement to Variety, Fywell said: “It was really upsetting to hear yesterday of the death of Hayden Panettiere at the age of 36. I remember a brave, sparky, dedicated young actress who lit up the set in rehearsals and then the screen with her vibrant talent. Michelle Trachtenberg, Hayden’s co-star in the movie, and she were an amazing pair.”
Fywell added that the pair had “very different personalities.” While Trachtenberg was “kooky, fun, with an infectious laugh and her brilliant sad-funny comic timing,” Panettiere was “plucky and determined and perfectionist, spending hours practicing her skating and utterly focused on getting every acting take spot-on and truthful. Which she did.”
Fywell concluded: “In what was often a tough and technically complicated shoot, and my first Hollywood movie, they were delightful to work with and great to have around. I remember them both with huge affection, how they were 20 odd years ago, at that relatively uncomplicated time of their lives, two shining talents, gone far too soon.”
Paris Hilton remembers 'beautiful soul'
Tuesday 18 August 2026 20:59 , Kevin Perry
Paris Hilton has shared an emotional tribute to Panettiere, writing on Instagram:
“Heartbroken over the loss of my friend Hayden.
“She was such a beautiful soul — so talented, strong, kind and full of so much love and light. It’s impossible to believe she’s gone.
“I’ll always cherish our friendship, all the memories we shared, and the special moments we had together.
“My heart is with her family and everyone who loved her during this unimaginable time.
“Love you forever, Hayden. Rest in peace, angel. You will be so deeply missed.”
Panettiere's estranged mother Lesley Vogel speaks out about her daughter's death
Tuesday 18 August 2026 19:46 , Kevin Perry
Lesley Vogel took aim at Brian Hickerson in her first public comments since the death of her estranged daughter, Hayden Panettiere, telling NBC News:
“This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian Hickerson.”
She added: “I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry - it is a struggle and it's a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.
“I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself, and I think Hayden sadly lost her way, and I wish it were different. I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes.”
She concluded: “I just feel that she’s with her brother and they’re at peace.” Panettiere’s younger brother Jansen died unexpectedly in 2023 at the age of 28.
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