Actress Hayden Panettiere, former fiancée of Wladimir Klitschko, dies at 36

American actress and singer Hayden Panettiere, who once dated Ukrainian boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, passed away at the age of 36, according to a statement from her father released on August 17 by the Associated Press. Her father, Skip, did not disclose the cause of death, but did describe his daughter as a "beacon of light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her."

Panettiere gained fame through her leading roles in the television series Heroes and Nashville, as well as in films such as Remember the Titans and the Scream franchise. Her high-profile relationship with Klitschko spanned from 2009 to 2018, during which they shared a daughter, Kaya Evdokia, born in December 2014. Panettiere frequently visited Ukraine during the protests and publicly supported her Ukrainian friends.

After the birth of their daughter, Panettiere battled postpartum depression, leading to alcohol and opioid addiction. The couple ended their engagement in 2018, and Klitschko was later granted custody of Kaya, who moved to Europe. Panettiere spent her final years focusing on her mental health, undergoing rehab, and returning to acting.

She published an autobiography in 2026, detailing her addiction recovery, motherhood, and personal losses, including the unexpected death of her younger brother.