American actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in the TV series *Nashville* and *Heroes*, has died at the age of 36, according to local media reports citing a statement from the family, released via the actress’s spokesperson.
The cause of death has not been specified, but the media report that an investigation is underway.
“She was an incredible light and force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to everyone who knew her – and to the millions of people who watched her on screen,” said her father, Alan ‘Skip’ Panettiere, asking that the family be left in peace whilst they mourn their loss.
Born in 1989, Panettiere became a child star; she was four years old when she appeared in the American soap opera *One Life to Live*. She went on to play numerous roles in films.
Panettiere received two Golden Globe nominations in 2013 and 2014 for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series, a miniseries or television film for her role as Juliet Barnes in the musical drama *Nashville*. She also appeared in the satirical horror film franchise *Scream*.
Panettiere’s memoir, *This Is Me: Payback*, published in May this year, describes the pressure she faced as a child star and her estrangement from her mother, who managed her career during her childhood. In her memoir, Panettiere also described how she struggled with postnatal depression and addiction to alcohol and drugs.
Hayden Panettiere has a daughter, Kaya-Eudokia, from her former fiancé, the Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she was in a relationship from 2009 to 2013, after which they announced their engagement. In 2018, it emerged that the couple had split up and that their daughter was in her father’s sole custody.