Hayden Panetierre Dies; Guiding Light, One Life to Live Alum Was 36
Actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36. Best known for her work in films like Remember the Titans and Scream 4 and for her starring roles in primetime shows like Heroes (Claire Bennet, 2006-2010) and Nashville (Juliette Barnes, 2012-2018), longtime soap viewers will recall two of her earliest characters: Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live (1994-97) and Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light (1996-2000).
Remembering Hayden Panettiere
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” a representative for the actress said in a statement shared with ABC News. “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.”
Panettiere was only 5 years old when she began playing One Life to Live‘s Sarah, the precocious daughter of supercouple Cord and Tina Roberts. On Guiding Light, she also played the daughter of a legacy duo, Phillip Spaulding and Beth Raines.
Beth Chamberlin, who played Panettiere’s mother on GL, told Soap Opera Digest in 1998, “Hayden’s a dream child to work with, an incredible professional who puts all of us adults to shame.”
Though she began acting professionally at a young age, Panettiere shared with Digest in 2000 that there were other careers that interested her. “One thing I’d like to be when I grow up is a paleontologist,” she said.
On Nashville, the actress worked closely with fellow soap alum Jonathan Jackson, who played Lucky Spencer on General Hospital. Jackson told Digest in 2014, “We both share that history. I think it instills a very strong work ethic at a young age. Hayden certainly displays that. She is a fantastic actress, a very hard worker, very committed and consistent.”
Panettiere’s younger brother, Jansen, passed away unexpectedly in 2023. “When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul,” she told People.
In May 2026, Panettiere released a candid memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, detailing her experience with child stardom and her later struggles with postpartum depression and substance abuse. In an interview with Buzzfeed about laying bare the intimate details of her life in the book, Panettiere said, “I think what I realized the most is that I can trust myself, because I really struggled with that. I’m braver than I think I gave myself credit for.”
Panettiere is survived by a daughter, Kaya, 11.
No details about the nature of Panettiere’s passing have been released.
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