Actor Hayden Panettiere has died at age 36 after a battle with addiction and other personal struggles. Her co-stars and friends are remembering her for her intelligence, talent, and kindness, including Bethany Joy Lenz, who worked with her on "Guiding Light" in the late '90s, and Wladimir Klitschko, her former fiancé and the Mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine. The article quotes several people close to Panettiere expressing their grief and sadness at her passing, including Kelly Osbourne, who called her a "good friend." Panettiere's daughter, Kaya, was born during a tumultuous period in her life, and her co-stars and friends are speaking out about the challenges she faced.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Co-stars and friends of
are remembering the actor for her friendship, intelligence and talent after her shocking death at age 36 on Sunday.
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stars → remember → Sunday
Panettiere, who had already appeared in dozens of commercials by the time she was 5 years old, starred in "Remember the Titans," "Heroes," "Bring It On," "Nashville" and more.
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she → appear → It
"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," her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement sharing the news of her death Sunday.
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father → bring → death
"I'm crushed," Bethany Joy Lenz, who starred in "Guiding Light" with Panettiere in the late '90s, wrote in a lengthy post on Instagram.
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who → crush → Instagram
Lenz recalled knowing a young Panettiere, running through the hallways of the studio where they filmed, "laughing and playing games in between blocking and camera rehearsals."
"She knew her lines and everyone else's.
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She → recall → lines
She understood scenes and nuance and human struggle like no child I'd ever seen on camera.
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I → understand → camera
And she'd sit with you for a great conversation, then giggle and go play," Lenz wrote.
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Lenz → sit → conversation
Lenz said she and Panettiere connected "on and off over the years.
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she → say → years
"
"I always felt such joy seeing her when we were lucky enough to cross paths," she said.
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she → feel → paths
Panettiere's former fiancé, ex-professional boxer and current Mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine, Wladimir Klitschko, wrote in a message posted to his Instagram account Tuesday that his "family is going through a time of profound shock and grief."
The pair had a daughter together but, in 2018, Panettiere gave full custody to Klitschko amid her battle with addiction and postpartum depression.
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Panettiere → write → addiction
The announcement of Hayden's tragic death saddens me deeply," Klitschko wrote.
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Klitschko → sadden → me
"She left this world far too soon.
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"She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry.
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Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives," he added.
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he → erase → lives
"To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was."
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she → speak → person
Kelly Osbourne, who called Panettiere "such a good friend to me," wrote on an Instagram story that she is deeply saddened by the loss.
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she → call → loss
We understood each other in a way few truly can—recognizing how difficult it is to grow up in the spotlight, and how isolating it can feel even when surrounded by so many people," she wrote.
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she → understand → people
"I will never forget you, Hayden, and I will always believe you deserved better."
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you → forget → better
Osbourne guest-hosted an episode of "Red Table Talk" in 2022, in which Panettiere discussed her struggles with addiction, postpartum depression and giving up primary custody of her daughter.
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Panettiere → host → daughter
Panettiere had recently spoken out more about those hardships, including on "CBS Mornings," around the May release of her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning."
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One of those emotional conversations, in which she also spoke about the death of her brother in 2023, was on the podcast "On Purpose with Jay Shetty."
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she → speak → Shetty
Shetty reacted to Panettiere's death Monday, writing in a comment on Instagram, "Truly heartbroken by this news."
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Shetty → react → news
"I can't believe it.
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I → believe → it
Our friendship had just begun and I was so moved by the conversation we shared earlier this year.
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we → begin → conversation
My love and condolences to her family and fans," he wrote in another comment.
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he → write → comment
Viola Davis, who starred with Panettiere in the 2016 film "Custody," called her "an amazing talent."
"An old, wise soul with such a deep heart," she wrote in a post on Instagram.
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she → star → Instagram
"I wish the world had more time with you because I had a burning curiosity about who you were becoming.
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you → wish → curiosity
I saw this beautiful Phoenix rising from the ashes.
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Phoenix → see → ashes
Your tests became your testimony, and your testimony became your legacy.
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testimony → become → ?
You will be remembered.
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You → remember → ?
"
Bryan Fuller, a writer for "Heroes," said Panettiere was a muse.
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Panettiere → say → Heroes
"Wise beyond her years and already saddled with so much of a life, she left an indelible mark on me as a writer and a storyteller," he wrote on Instagram.
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he → saddle → Instagram
Other celebrities shared their grief in comments on social media.
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celebrities → share → media
"I love you.
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I → love → you
Don't be gone," Selma Blair wrote.
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Blair → go → ?
"I love you Hayden," wrote David Arquette, who starred with Panettiere in "Scream 4."
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who → love → Scream
