Hayden Panettiere opened up about ‘biggest heartbreak of her life’ months before tragic death
Hayden Panettiere emotionally opened up about the 'biggest heartbreak' just months before she passed away aged just 36.
The US actress, famed for her appearances in the likes of Nashville, Scream and Heroes, previously spoke out about the sudden loss of her brother Jansen who lost his life in 2023.
The star had talked about the traumatic experience of losing Jansen, aged just 28, who had died from complications with his heart.
Appearing on the Jay Shetty podcast in May, she held back tears while describing the loss of her brother as 'heartbreaking'. Discussing how close they were, she explained: "There's nothing in my life that feels like losing my other half. He was born to be the yin to my yang.
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"We were so close. Especially being the older sibling, it's your job to protect them and keep them safe, and not being able to is, I mean, heartbreaking doesn't even begin to cover it."
She continued: "I would need a dictionary to go through all the words for all the feelings that you go through in your mind. I know time is the best healer, but it's been three years and every year the heartbreak has changed.
"But losing him and realising how much of life I was going to have to go through alone and without him, where I always saw him as being there.
"There's been so many times I want to call him all the time. He was my best friend and when he first died I remember screaming, 'I don't want to live in a world where he doesn't exist'.
"That's something I don't think I'll ever get over. I feel him with me. I know that he's protecting me from where he is and was needed elsewhere, but I wish he could be sent back to me."
Hayden Panettiere remembered as 'incredible light'
Panettiere made the emotional comments in May, just months before her reps confirmed her tragic death aged 36. In a statement on Monday (17 August), a representative said her family would remember her as an 'incredible light' who brought 'immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her'.
A statement issued by her father Skip read: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. 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.”
No cause of death has been announced, however TMZ reported that police had been called to an incident involving the actress on Sunday (16 August).
Meanwhile, co-stars and celebrity friends have also paid tribute. Scream co-star Melissa Barrera posted to her Instagram story, writing, “Rest in peace sweet Hayden,” alongside a broken heart emoji.
Actress Selma Blair said: “I love you. Don’t be gone. Don’t be gone. Please. Please.” Meanwhile, singer JoJo wrote on her Instagram stories: “this is such devastating news. I am so sorry to hear of her passing. Oh My God.”
Panettiere had also discussed giving up custody of her only child Kaya when appearing on Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast earlier this year, and talked about suffering from addiction and postpartum depression.
Lifting the lid on her new book, titled This Is Me: A Reckoning, she explained: "It was one of the hardest parts of this too, figuring out what to call it. I felt like I couldn't come up with a name until I was done with the process of the book. Sometimes people do it in the middle of the experience.
"Sometimes people need a title before they start the process of writing and I felt like I had to wait till till the end.
"I finally feel like I have shaken off all of this darkness and this negativity. And that means I've closed one door and another door is opened and I can feel it opened and I can feel all the possibilities, all the exciting possibilities.
"I feel like I have a lot more life to live."
Who is Hayden Panettiere?
The 36-year-old began acting as a child, appearing in soap operas before gaining wider recognition for her role in the 2000 sports drama Remember The Titans alongside Denzel Washington, and as the voice of Dot in Pixar’s 1998 film A Bug’s Life.
Panettiere later found fame playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before going on to star as up-and-coming country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on the hit TV series Nashville.
Her performances in Nashville earned her two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress, while her singing on the show produced 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
Panettiere’s film credits include 2006’s Bring It On: All Or Nothing, comedy-drama film Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.
Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, US News, Hayden Panettiere
James Holt