Hayden Panettiere dies at 36; her Nashville role mirrored her own struggles

Hayden Panettiere, star of Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise, died on 16 August 2026 at age 36. Her representative confirmed the death to ABC News; no cause was given. On Nashville, her character Juliette Barnes faced alcoholism, substance abuse and postpartum depression — issues Panettiere was experiencing in real life during filming, per Deadline.