Hayden Panettiere, actress known for "Heroes" and "Remember the Titans," dies at 36

Actress Hayden Panettiere, who gained widespread recognition for her roles in "Remember the Titans" and the science fiction series "Heroes," has died at the age of 36. Her representative confirmed the tragic news to CBS News.

Panettiere's father, Skip Panettiere, issued a statement through her representative, describing her as "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." He requested privacy for the family as they navigate their "unimaginable loss."

“

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. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.

Details regarding the cause of Panettiere's death have not been disclosed. Her career, which began in childhood, spanned more than three decades across film and television. She was also known for her roles in the "Scream" film franchise and the television drama "Nashville."

In recent months, Panettiere had spoken candidly about the pressures of early fame and her personal struggles. Her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," released in May, detailed her experiences with addiction, physical abuse, and her journey toward recovery. She had previously sought treatment for postpartum depression in 2015 and, in 2018, granted primary custody of her daughter to her ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko.

“

When your mother has chosen to take the 8-month-old baby into those audition rooms, and it went from there and progressed into 50 commercials by the time I was 5 ... It just never stopped. I didn't care about anybody's opinion but my mom's, because I knew that if she was unhappy with my performance in any way, that the rest of the day was gonna be ruined.