Nashville star Hayden Panettiere dies at age 36

American actress Hayden Panettiere passed away at the age of 36. Her father confirmed her death to a U.S. media outlet. Panettiere, who gained fame for her roles in Nashville, Heroes, and the Scream franchise, was found unresponsive at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death is being investigated, but there were no signs of foul play.

Panettiere's father, Skip, described her as a "force of nature" and expressed profound sadness over her loss. She had a prolific career that began in 1996, including voice acting in A Bug's Life and the Grammy-nominated read-along album from the same film. Panettiere's breakthrough role came as a superpowered cheerleader in the series Heroes, which ran from 2006 to 2010.

She also starred in Scream 4, Scream 6, and Nashville, earning two Golden Globe nominations for her performance as Juliette Barnes. Panettiere also lent her voice to characters in the Kingdom Hearts video game franchise and the game Until Dawn. Her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, revealed her struggles with postpartum depression and alcohol addiction following the birth of her daughter.

Panettiere is survived by her daughter Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. Tributes poured in from her colleagues in Hollywood, including Selma Blair, David Arquette, Viola Davis, and Melissa Barrera.