Hayden Panettiere, star of 'Heroes', dies at 36

Hayden Panettiere, the American actress best known for her role as Claire Bennet in the television series 'Heroes', has died at the age of 36. The cause of death has not been disclosed. Panettiere began her career in entertainment at a very young age, appearing in her first commercial at 11 months old and in over 50 commercials during her childhood. At age 7, she started acting in American TV series, and at 9, she made her film debut in 'The Object of My Affection' alongside Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. During her teenage years, she continued to work intensively, appearing in films such as 'Remember the Titans' with Denzel Washington and the horror film 'Scream 4' directed by Wes Craven, where she played Kirby Reed, a role she reprised in 2023's 'Scream 6'. She was also a main cast member of the TV series 'Nashville', which aired until 2018. In her memoir 'This Is Me', published this year, Panettiere discussed the difficulties she faced as a child actress in Hollywood, including how media attention contributed to her developing body dysmorphia, an obsessive concern about perceived flaws in her appearance. She also wrote about her struggles with postpartum depression and addiction to opioids and alcohol. In recent years, she appeared in few films and TV series. In an interview with The New York Times published this year, she expressed a desire to pursue film production and directing.