Tributes from friends and fellow actors have begun pouring in for Hayden Panettiere, the actress best known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," who died over the weekend at the age of 36.
The former child star was found unresponsive in an apartment at Judson Mill Lofts in the Greenville area of South Carolina shortly before 2 p.m. on Sunday, police
shared in a press release. Despite efforts to revive her, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Greenville County Coroner's Office
said Monday that Panettiere had suffered cardiac arrest. An autopsy has been completed, but an official cause of death has not yet been released. Officials said the investigation into her death remains ongoing, and no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances have been uncovered.
The actress's father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement
shared with ABC News, calling her "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."
Born on Aug. 21, 1989, in New York, the actress died days before her 37th birthday. After being featured in a commercial at just 11 months old, Panettiere went on to land her first television role in 1994, appearing in the long-running soap opera "One Life to Live." She has since starred in more than 70 shows and films, including "Remember the Titans" (2000), "I Love You, Beth Cooper" (2009), "Scream 4" (2011), and "Scream VI" (2023).
Actress Bethany Joy Lenz, who co-starred with Panettiere on the soap series "Guiding Light" in the late 1990s, shared an emotional tribute to her longtime friend on Instagram.
"Hayden, you are surround[ed] by love. I’m sorry for every moment I didn’t reach out or check in. This can’t be real," she
wrote in part. "I don’t know how to process this. I am praying for you to know the peace of God now and always."
Oscar winner Viola Davis, who appeared alongside Panettiere in the 2006 romance drama "The Architect" and the 2016 film "Custody," fondly remembered her time working with the actress.
"I loved working with you....an old, wise soul with such a deep heart," Davis
penned in an Instagram post. "I wish the world had more time with you because I had a burning curiosity about who you were becoming."
David Anders, who also starred in NBC's sci-fi superhero series "Heroes," said the actress was "one of the brighter lights" he's ever met.
"I love you Hayden," Anders
shared. "Always and forever. Wherever you are now."
Actor and dancer Derek Hough, who shared the screen with Panettiere in "Nashville," said he was heartbroken to hear of her passing.
"The little time I got to spend with her, she was so sweet, so kind," Hough
wrote. "I’ve always admired her work and the joy she brought people."
Panettiere is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, whom she welcomed in December 2014 with her then-fiancé, former professional Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
