Hayden Panettiere’s death was caused by a fentanyl overdose, it has been confirmed.
The actor, famous for her roles in Heroes, Nashville, and the Scream franchise, died in her home in South Carolina on August 16, at the age of 36. Her death was announced by her father Skip, who described her as “an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her”.
Tributes immediately poured in from the entertainment industry, with Oscar winner Viola Davis describing Panettiere, whom she worked with on the 2016 film Custody, as an “amazing talent” and “so gifted” in a tribute on Instagram.
Now, medical examiners have confirmed the cause of Panettiere’s death, telling Variety: “The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol and Quetiapine.”
They went on to say there were “no signs of trauma” that would have contributed to her death and “the manner of death has been ruled accident.” Police also previously confirmed there were not “any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances”.
She began her career as a child actor, and was just four years-old when she appeared on US soap opera One Life To Live.
Her breakout role came when you starred as a cheerleader with super powers in Heroes in 2006. She starred on the superhero series for four seasons. She went on to play Juliette Barnes in Nashville from 2012-18 and then as Kirby Reed in Scream 4 in 2011 and Scream VI in 2023.
Her other credits included Guiding Light, Malcolm In The Middle, The Object Of My Affection, A Bug’s Life and Message In A Bottle and Remember The Titans.
Earlier this year, Panettiere released her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she opened up about her experiences with postpartum depression, addiction and recovery and came out as bisexual.
She described herself as being in a “horrible cycle for years of battling depression and anxiety and alcoholism and substance abuse” while “just trying to find my way back, my way out of the darkness”.
She was previously in a relationship with Ukrainian champion heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko and they had a daughter, daughter, Kaya, in 2014.
Her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 of aortic valve complications at the age of 28.
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