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BREAKING NEWS: Soap Alum Hayden Panettiere Has Died at 36
Soap alum Hayden Panettiere, fondly remembered for her roles on One Life to Live and Guiding Light, has died at the young age of 36.
SOAP ALUM HAYDEN PANETTIERE HAS DIED AT 36
TL;DR: Hayden Panettiere, who got her start on One Life to Live and Guiding Light before becoming a household name, has died at 36.
A Beloved Daytime Alum Is Gone Too Soon
Hayden Panettiere, the actress whose earliest television roles came on two beloved daytime soap operas, has died at 36.
Panettiere was found unresponsive on Sunday, August 16, at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Greenville Police Department, as reported by Page Six.
Authorities said the preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play, and the Greenville County Coroner’s office reported that an autopsy found no trauma that contributed to her death. A cause of death has not yet been released.
Her father, Skip Panettiere, shared a statement on behalf of the family. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” he said. “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.”
If you have a favorite memory of Hayden Panettiere’s work, we’d love for you to share it with us at amber@soapoperamagazine.com.
Her Daytime Beginnings
Before Hayden Panettiere became a household name in Heroes and Nashville, she got her start as a child actress on daytime television. She played Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live from 1994 to 1997, and went on to take over the role of Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light, appearing in the part from 1996 to 2000.
Her portrayal of Lizzie’s battle with leukemia in 2000 was significant enough that Guiding Light received a Special Recognition Award from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for bringing national attention to the disease through the storyline.
Hayden Panettiere went on to a long and celebrated career beyond daytime, including standout roles in Remember the Titans, Ice Princess, Scream 4, and years as country star Juliette Barnes on Nashville.
In recent years, she had spoken openly about her struggles with addiction, postpartum depression, and grief, writing candidly about those experiences in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, released earlier this year. She is survived by her daughter, Kaya. Her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 at 28, a loss she had also spoken about publicly in the years since.
Hayden Panettiere will be remembered by soap fans as one of daytime’s most talented young performers, someone who went on to carry that same warmth and skill into a career that touched millions well beyond Llanview and Springfield.
Our thoughts are with Hayden Panettiere’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. Please feel free to share your thoughts and memories in the comments below.
Remembering Hayden Panettiere
Our condolences go out to Hayden Panettiere’s family, friends, and everyone who loved watching her grow up on our screens. Please join us on our Facebook page to share your condolences and favorite memories of her work.
