She was 36.
Panettiere's father, Skip, announced the actress' death in a statement provided to America's ABC News on Sunday.
"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," his statement said.
No cause of death was announced, and a publicist for Hayden Panettiere did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press.
Panettiere had a prolific career dating to 1996, and her credits included the voice of Dot in A Bug's Life, Remember the Titans and Scream VI.
Her role as Claire Bennet, a cheerleader with superpowers in Heroes, propelled her to fame, with the series revolving around the mantra "Save the cheerleader, save the world."
She had been open about her struggles with alcohol addiction and depression, including after the birth of her daughter Kaya in 2014.
In a memoir published earlier in 2026, titled This Is Me: A Reckoning, she wrote about her decision to give full custody of her daughter to her former partner, boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
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