‘Heroes’ and ‘Scream’ actress Hayden Panettiere passes away at 36

Actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes, Nashville and Remember the Titans, has passed away at the age of 36.

Panettiere’s representative confirmed her death in a statement, saying, “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,” the representative added.

Further details surrounding her death were not immediately available. ABC News was the first to report the news on Sunday, August 16.

Born on August 21, 1989, in Palisades, New York, Panettiere began her acting career at a remarkably young age. She appeared in commercials as a baby before moving into television, where she landed roles on daytime dramas including One Life to Live and Guiding Light.

She later made her mark on the big screen with appearances in films including Remember the Titans, Raising Helen, Racing Stripes and Ice Princess.

Panettiere rose to international fame in 2006 when she was cast as Claire Bennet, the seemingly indestructible cheerleader, in NBC’s hit science-fiction series Heroes. Her character quickly became one of the show’s most recognizable figures, with the line “Save the cheerleader, save the world” becoming closely associated with the series.

In 2012, Panettiere took on another major role as country music singer Juliette Barnes in the musical drama Nashville. Her performance earned her two Golden Globe nominations.

Her other acting credits included Scream 4, Scream VI, I Love You, Beth Cooper and Bring It On: All or Nothing.

Away from the screen, Panettiere was a mother to her daughter, Kaya, whom she welcomed in December 2014 with her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

Hayden Panettiere’s death was confirmed just five days before her 37th birthday, which would have been celebrated on August 21.