Hayden Panettiere has passed away aged 36
- Jamie Robinson
- 2 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Hayden Panettiere, the acclaimed American actress best known for her various television roles including Heroes and Nashville, has sadly passed away at the age of 36. Her death was confirmed on August 17, 2026, by her father Skip Panettiere.
The exact cause of death has not been revealed, with her family asking for privacy as they deal with the loss.
Panettiere first found international fame as a child actor before becoming widely known for her role as the regenerating cheerleader Claire Bennet in NBC's Heroes. However, she also went on to leave a lasting mark on the video game industry.
A Lasting Impact on the Video Game Industry
Alongside her extensive work in film and television, Hayden Panettiere was also a well-known voice and performance capture artist within the gaming community. Her work in games included several major projects, most notably two popular franchises:
The Kingdom Hearts Series: Panettiere became an important part of the franchise, providing the English voice for Kairi, one of its central characters.
She voiced Kairi in the original Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II.
She later returned as Kairi in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep.
She also provided the voice of Xion in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.
Until Dawn: In 2015, Panettiere took on a leading role in the PlayStation interactive horror game Until Dawn.
She provided both the voice and motion capture for Samantha "Sam" Giddings, one of the game's main playable characters.
She later returned to the role to film a post-credit scene for the game's 2024 remake.
A Career That Crossed Mediums
Panettiere's versatility allowed her to move between live-action acting and video game voice work throughout her career. Whether she was playing country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville, taking on Ghostface as Kirby Reed in the Scream franchise, or bringing digital characters to life through interactive media, her performances connected with audiences around the world.
Her passing represents a significant loss for both the entertainment and gaming industries. Fans of Kingdom Hearts and Until Dawn will continue to remember the unique energy and emotion she brought to some of her most memorable video game roles.
On behalf of everyone at Gaming Australia, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to Hayden Panettiere's family, friends and loved ones. Her work left a lasting impression on many of us, particularly through her roles in Kingdom Hearts and Until Dawn, and she will be remembered fondly by the gaming community. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by her passing.
