American actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office in South Carolina has ruled that the actress died from the toxic effects of several drugs, including fentanyl, in what was classified as an accidental overdose.
Panettiere was found unresponsive at an apartment in Greenville on August 16, 2026. Emergency responders attempted to revive her for more than 40 minutes before she was pronounced dead.
According to the coroner’s findings, other substances detected in her system included 4-ANPP, a chemical byproduct associated with fentanyl production, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine.
The autopsy found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death. Authorities have continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case.
Panettiere rose to fame as a child actress before becoming internationally recognised for portraying Claire Bennet in the television series Heroes. She later starred as Juliette Barnes in the musical drama series Nashville and appeared in films including Remember the Titans, Bring It On: All or Nothing and Scream 4.
Her family has acknowledged her long-running struggles with substance addiction. Following the coroner’s findings, her mother, Lesley Vogel, described Hayden as a fighter and said that the ruling of accidental overdose did not resolve questions concerning the source of the lethal dose.
Panettiere is survived by her daughter, Kaya, whom she had with former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.
