
Hayden Panettiere, best known for shows like Heroes and Nashville, has tragically passed away aged just 36-years-old.
The US actress will be remembered among PlayStation fans for her role in PS4 horror game Until Dawn, alongside other high-profile stars like Rami Malek.
She also played Kingdom Hearts’ Kairi in the English localisation of the first two PS2 games.
Skip Panettiere, Hayden’s father, confirmed the news in a statement to US media, as published by the BBC:
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. 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.”
Until Dawn launched on the PS4 in 2015, before being re-released on the PS5 in 2024.
While Panettiere didn’t star in it, the game’s success led to a movie adaptation in 2025, and a sequel with a new cast of characters is due out in 2027.
Our thoughts go out to Panettiere and her family at this time.
[source bbc.com]

Comments 85
RIP 😭🥀
I enjoyed her voices as Kairi in KH and of course her role in Until Dawn and Heroes. She will be missed 🥀
An unimaginable loss. Rest easy, Hayden.
This is very sad first her younger brother passed away a back in 2023 now she's gone RIP.
This is seriously sad. She put on an incredible performance in Until Dawn, and I think she should have been hired for many more games. She seemed like a fun person as well, RIP
Terrible news. RIP.
Awful. Been a fan of hers since Heroes.
Made this account just to say RIP… Wow, this one was a shocker, less than 10 minutes ago I found out when I saw this article. Not that I ever looked up to her or that she meant a whole lot to me personally, as I’d only seen her once in a Scream movie, and then in Until Dawn. However, Until Dawn WOULD NOT have been the same without her. It will never feel the same for me whenever I play it again.
She truly was such a talent, and it’s a heartbreaking shame knowing that we’ll sadly never get to her again in another sequel if she were meant to be in one. I truly hope they leave some supportive messages in remembrance of her in Until Dawn 2, like perhaps those ‘In memory of’ during the credits, or even some kind of easter eggs like ‘Sam was here’ etc throughout the game.
Rest in Peace, may God look after your soul 🕊️🙏
RIP in peace, Hayden.
Hollywood is a grinder that uses the young and then spits them out when they are no longer needed without counselling or assistance. Poor dear had a horrible life away from the camera. Abuse, addiction and depression. She only recently found solace thanks to having a daughter.
I for one will not cry when AI replaces Hollywood. Their reckoning has been a long time coming.
Damn, this one stings. Loved her in Heroes, 36 is just way too young to go. RIP and love to her friends and family.
@LifeGirl "I for one will not cry when AI replaces Hollywood. Their reckoning has been a long time coming."
Yes, I too look forward to people losing their jobs so that I can feel better about myself. And Elon will totally rival Nolal's The Odyssey by using Grok.
As for her daughter, sadly it was the other way around. She was struggling so much with drinking and mental issues that she had given up custody of her daughter to her ex (edit: thankfully not the violent one). She said in several interviews how hard that was for her.
Oh geez this is awful news. She was so young. So sorry to hear this.
@naruball violent ex? I just tried to find what you were talking about and couldn't see anything. I know he was an ex boxer but I assumed that isn't what you meant.
My bad, I now see it was her other ex after Klitschko.
@Llamageddon yeah, sorry. I don't know their names and I should have looked them up to avoid confusion. I just remember reading there were several incidents of domestic violence. So she had been through a lot and was only 36...
That’s horrible…. I feel for her daughter too, hope she rests easy.
holy ****, bruh no way!! I had a big crush on her in Scream 4. Also had no idea she was the voice of kairi in KH on PS2, that’s so dope!
May she RIP
One of my Hollywood crushes. I am shocked and sadden by the news. Rest easy beautiful. 🥺
Oh wow that's a bit of a shock. Rest easy young Hayden ❤️
This is truly awful news, Rest in pease Hayden.
RIP Sad News she was great in until dawn
Another star taken shortly after beginning to expose the elites of Hollywood - scum.
RIP - Heroes and Until Dawn hold a special place largely because of Hayden, my dad was especially gutted this morning as he loved Heroes.
"Save the cheerleader. Save the world." Rest well Hayden.
@naruball no problem, I just happen to follow boxing so I was surprised to hear that. Tragic news, RIP.
RIP to my favorite Kairi ):
Just started playing Until Dawn. Looking forward to seeing her performance
RIP Hayden! you were lovely in Until Dawn
RIP. She was great in Heroes and Until Dawn. Feel so sorry for her daughter.
such sad news, 36 is just too soon, when I read this kind of news the title of Nightwish's debut album always comes to my mind, Angels Fall First, loved her role in Until Dawn, RIP 🥲
"Until Dawn launched on the PS4 in 2015, before being re-released on the PS5 in 2024." That's not exactly what happened. It was re-made, not simply re-released.
Damn, that's unexpected. My heart goes to her family and friends. Her character was definitely one of my favorites alongside Chris.
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Oh dang! I remember her from Heroes when we both were like 20 years younger. My condolences to her family & loved ones. 😢
Tragic news, so young, but its nixe that her memory lives on in the films and games she stared in.
@Jacko11 there plenty of people in Hollywood who have gotten though worse still here at the end of the day Hollywood is for some not for others
I remember seeing her in Heroes when it first came out, and thinking she had won the genetic lottery.
No idea what happened and I’m not going to speculate, but she is the last person who I thought I would see had passed away when I woke up and looked at the news.
RIP
Very sad far too young to go she was mind numbingly gorgeous aswell.
Thoughts are with her family 🙏
Oh no. R.I.P Hayden Panettiere aka Claire Bear 😔
Such a shame. Celebrity can be a real meat grinder. May she R.I.P.
I am shocked by this news. I knew she had some struggles with addiction and mental health, but I’d thought she was able to find a way through. I understand we don’t know what happened, but you never know what someone is dealing with. Sad, very sad.
I loved her in Heroes, let's face it, she was absolutely beautiful too. I was only thinking the other day about rewatching the entire series for probably the fourth or fifth time. Tragic that a person's life should end at such a young age. Indeed, she was younger than my daughter, and the same age as my eldest son, and no age to die at all.
Thoughts are with her family, and may she rest in peace. She will forever be a cheerleader to me...
Damn, every parents nightmare, sad news.
✝♥️ RIP Ms Panettiere
"Save the cheerleader, save the world" RIP
Shocking news.
Amazing baby sitter in malcolm in the middle. You young ones need to watch that show. Very sad news
After all the Kingdom Hearts news the past couple days, the last thing I expected to wake up to today was news of Kairi's death. This is absolutely heartbreaking...
Really sad, and 36 is absolutely no age at all.
I have fond memories of Heroes, wishing peace to her family and friends. RIP
I saw the news and tought I recognized the name from somewhere. Kairi from Kingdom Hearts. What a huge loss.
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Such a shame, another one chewed up and spat out by the Hollywood meat grinder. 36 is no age at all, she was only 3 years older than me.
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36 is an age where we shouldn't be talking about someone in the past tense.
May the grieving find the support they need to get through this.
@Rahmus what did they even say there 1st comment is super normal
This is devastating to hear after everything she's been through. It was awesome to see her in Until Dawn and really wished she could still do Kairi for KH3 back then. Rest in peace
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she will be greatly missed. Until Dawn, Nashville (I believe that is the correct show name), and Heroes. very talented. may her and her brother, Jansen Panettiere, find peace together as both were so close
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Shocking for those like me who did not know her struggles. I hope she has found peace.
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Just horrible. Not long after Daveigh Chase too.
Very sad to hear. Scary when people the same age as you pass away. Puts things in perspective.
I remember really enjoying Heroes when I was younger.
RIP. Gone much too soon.
Way too young. RIP
Damn this is terrible news. RIP Hayden.
Anyone know the reason why she passed?
She obviously had problems. Addiction is a horrible thing to go through. To compound that losing a younger brother just 3 years ago. Very sad news, especially for the parents and relatives. R.I.P.
RIP young lady.
RIP. Dont do drugs yall
911 reports are citing an overdose with a cardiac arrest. Her poor daughter.
@For-Kier Why come and comment to say that?
@For-Kier we get it. You hate women.
Lots of people struggle with addiction, but very few people are brave enough to give up custody of their kid because they knew it was the best thing for them. Horrible news.
There but for the grace of God go we.
Pushed into acting from an early age and suffered a string of sexual abuse as a teenager. She is quoted for saying she needed her parent to see her as a person and not a product, her parent replied she owes them for her success. Sadly unable to escape the subsequent spiral of depression and substance abuse. It's tragic and heartbreaking that some people can be so despicable. RIP Hayden.
Whilst with the benefit of multiple clips online, I now realise I'd seen her in multiple roles, PS4 Until Dawn & her portrayal of Sam as the most grounded & believable of the Until Dawn characters had me sucked right in to that game,.
Didn't feel compelled to reward a cheap budget Hermen Hulst flogging a buggy remaster on PS5 to flog a poor movie adaption but was very interested at the reworked "ultimate ending" tease hinting at a continuation of Sam's story.
With what's been shown of Until Dawn 2's new setting & trailer, not sure we'll ever get that conclusion much less if any of the characters will attract the investment that the likes of Hayden put into Sam that made you want to save her at all costs!
Talented actress, & lost far too young at only 36, RIP.😔
RIP in peace, another one gone far too young.
This comes as very sad news. Heroes was probably the first grown up series I ever watched. Hayden won't be forgotten.
Terrible. Heartbreaking story. She was so so young. RIP.
So sad, far, far too young. She was wonderful in everything I saw her in from Heroes to Nashville, Until Dawn to Kingdom Hearts.
Sad to hear about this. May she RIP and condolences to the family.
Heartbroken. Rarely get upset over celeb deaths but this one hit me hard. Loved her in Heroes. 36 is just too young. RIP 😥
Young deaths are truly tragic, and from what little I've read it seems she had a particularly challenging life for many reasons. What a shame for those close to her. May she rest in peace.
Such terrible news. 💔
I practically grew up along with her and really like her. Such a big loss. RIP Hayden
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