Hayden Panettiere Has Died at 36—Revisit 5 of her Most Iconic Roles

Actress Hayden Panettiere died late Sunday night, according to a statement released by her family. She was 36.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” the statement, published by People magazine, reads. “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.” Panettiere’s cause of death has not yet been made public.

Just months ago, Panettiere published her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she opened up about motherhood—she welcomed her only child in 2014—and postpartum depression. She also wrote about coping with the death of her brother, Jansen, in 2023; her struggles with alcohol during her youth; and the challenges of dealing with the enormous level of fame that followed her during the early years of the last decade.

Panettiere first appeared in a commercial at just 11 months old, going on to earn a Grammy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations during a career that spanned film, television, and music. Below, revisit some of Panettiere’s most memorable roles.

Panettiere was just nine years old when she voiced this adorable cartoon bug in Disney-Pixar’s 1998 animated film A Bug’s Life. She scored a Grammy nomination in the best spoken word album for children category for her performance as Dot in the film’s read-along companion.

An 11-year-old Panettiere stole scenes in this 2000 biographical sports drama, based on the true story of high school football coach Herman Boone’s attempt to integrate his Alexandria, Virginia, team in 1971.

Panettiere’s interpretation of Bennet, the titular cheerleader of “save the cheerleader, save the world” fame, helped establish her as one of the leading young actresses in early-aughts Hollywood.

Panettiere’s role as Reed in the Scream series elevated the “final-girl” concept, taking the character from horror-obsessed high school student who just barely survives a stabbing in Scream IV all the way to an FBI special agent in Scream VI.

Panettiere’s performance as Barnes, a pop-country superstar coming for the throne of Connie Britton’s country-veteran character Rayna James, was powerful enough to net her two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress in a series, miniseries, or television film in 2013 and 2014.