Hayden Panettiere, 'Heroes' and 'Nashville' star, dies at 36

Hayden Panettiere, who played the indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC's Heroes (2006–2010) and country singer Juliette Barnes on Nashville, earning two Golden Globe nominations, has died at 36. Her representative confirmed the death to ABC. The cause was not immediately known. Variety and Deadline reported on 17 August 2026.