Extremely sad news tonight, as TMZ has reported that Hayden Panettiere, the actress who rose to prominence as the indestructible Claire Bennet on Heroes, and starred as Kirby Reed in the Scream movies, has died. She was only 36 years old.
Details on Panettiere’s death were not available, but over recent years she has been open about her struggles with “postpartum depression, addiction and recovery, trauma, domestic abuse, and loss,” as noted in her memoir released in May.
Panettiere began acting when she was just 11 months old in television commercials. That led to a role on the daytime soaps One Life to Live and Guiding Light. One of her early breakthrough performances was in the TV drama If You Believe, for which she was nominated for the Young Artist Award.
But it was her role as the tough-as-nails cheerleader Claire Bennet on Heroes that took her career to the next level. Panettiere was arguably the most recognizable face on the popular show during its four-season run. After that concluded, she landed on another long-running series, Nashville, opposite Connie Britton six seasons.
The move to feature films took off in 2000 when she was cast in Disney’s Remember the Titans, and led to roles in Raising Helen, Bring It On: All or Nothing, and I Love You, Beth Cooper.
Panettiere will also be remembered for her role as Ghostface target Kirby Reed in 2011’s Scream 4, a role she reprised recently in Scream 6.
We here at Punch Drunk Critics send our condolences to Panettiere’s friends and family.
