Actress Hayden Panettiere remembered as 'amazing talent' after death at 36
Hayden Panettiere was remembered on Monday as an "amazing talent."
The actress, who launched a career as a child actor, including an appearance in "Remember the Titans," and later became a TV star with leading roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," died over the weekend at age 36, according to her representatives.
Panettiere also starred in "Raising Helen," "Ice Princess" and several "Scream" films.
Panettiere's former co-stars and industry colleagues paid tribute to her this week following her death, including her "Nashville" co-star Connie Britton, who shared a photo of them onstage and other moments together over the years.
"This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright," Britton wrote. "I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now. 💔"
Viola Davis, who starred with Panettiere in the 2016 film "Custody," also took to Instagram Monday morning and wrote, "What an amazing talent you were....so gifted."
Davis described Panettiere as "an old, wise soul with such a deep heart," adding, "I wish the world had more time with you because I had a burning curiosity about who you were becoming."
Panettiere's "Scream" co-star Neve Campbell shared a statement with ABC News, remembering the actress's "true talent."
"I found Hayden to be really kind and funny and brought a magnetic energy to set. She was a true talent which shows in the decades she worked in such a short life. Her family and loved ones are in my prayers," Campbell said.
Emma Roberts, who starred in "Scream 4" with Panettiere, wrote on Instagram, "rest in peace my sweet friend. you are so loved and you will be forever missed ❤️"
Kim Cattrall, who played Tina Harwood, the mother of Panettiere's character Gennifer "Gen" Harwood, in the 2005 movie "Ice Princess," shared a throwback photo of the two on Instagram, writing in the caption, "Rest in peace sweet Hayden. Gone far too soon 💔."
Panettiere's "Heroes" co-stars also paid tribute to her.
Actor Sendhil Ramamurthy said he "learned a lot" from Panettiere, even though he was "nearly twice her age."
"She stuck up for background actors when they were mistreated, knew every crew members name, and was so generous with her time," Ramamurthy wrote in part in an Instagram post.
"Sending love to her family, friends, and my fellow cast mates," he added. "RIP Hayd. You will be missed."
James Kyson said he was "deeply saddened and so shocked" by Panettiere's death, remembering her in an Instagram post as a "bright spirit" who was passionate about animal rights and sharing kindness.
"I first met Hayden when she was 16, and she was already a veteran actor with such bright spirit, and an older soul," Kyson wrote. "I remember her as a fierce protector of animal rights and a 'cheerleader' for kindness, justice, and people being treated fairly - something that l've always appreciated."
He added, "May your soul Rest in Peace Hayden... and my deepest condolences & prayers for her family Life can be so short... let's send some love out to the world, our loved ones, and to those who need it most today."
Derek Hough, who appeared on "Nashville" with Panettiere, wrote that he was "heartbroken" by her unexpected death.
"The little time I got to spend with her, she was so sweet, so kind. I've always admired her work and the joy she brought people," Hough wrote on Instagram. "She was actually pregnant when we filmed together. Looking at this photo now, having recently become a father myself, breaks my heart."
SAG-AFTRA, a union representing performers and broadcasters, wrote in a social media post, "Our hearts are with her daughter, family, friends & fans."
Actress Bethany Joy Lenz, who starred alongside Panettiere on the soap opera "Guiding Light" in the late 1990s, paid tribute to her former co-star in an Instagram post.
"I'm crushed. I knew the wild little blonde. Was she nine? Ten? I was eighteen," Lenz wrote on Instagram alongside a carousel of photos, including several shots of Panettiere as a young girl. "She ran through the Screen Gem studio hallways at 222 E44th St. laughing and playing games in between Guiding Light blocking and camera rehearsals. Long, unruly curls trailing behind her. She knew her lines and everyone else's. Her intelligence was astonishing."
Lenz wrote that Panettiere "understood scenes and nuance and human struggle like no child I'd ever seen on camera" and would "sit with you for a great conversation, then giggle and go play."
"These are moments of how I knew you, in glimpses over 26 years. I don't know how to process this. I am praying for you to know the peace of God now and always," she added.
"Guiding Light" star Beth Chamberlin also paid tribute to Panettiere, who played her onscreen daughter in the soap opera.
"She was the most brilliant child actor I've ever seen. The things she could do, the way she could remember 20+ pages of dialogue, day after day. Even on days where the director would come out between dress and tape and make huge cuts to the scenes, Hayden, never once forgot a line or missed her blocking. The adults would, but not Hayden," Chamberlin wrote on Instagram. "I felt blessed to work with her. And always perfect in her playing of the scene."
Actress Heather Matarazzo also remembered Panettiere in a post on Instagram.
"Devastated…..... We first met on the [Long Island Rail Road] traveling to NYC for auditions when we were both kids," she wrote. "Every time our paths crossed, my heart always filled up. She was special. She was a Sprite of a being and such a talent. Truly a light.... Love you, Hayden."
Panettiere died in South Carolina, her representative told ABC News late Sunday night, and an investigation into her death is "ongoing."
Further details surrounding Panettiere's death were not immediately available.
Panettiere had been candid about her struggles from child stardom through adulthood. She released a memoir this past May titled "This Is Me: A Reckoning."
She is the mother to one child, her daughter Kaya Klitschko, whom she had in 2014 with her ex-fiance, heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Popular Reads
ABC News Live