TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - American actress Hayden Panettiere had built an estimated net worth of $6 million by the time of her death at 36, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
As reported by Yahoo Entertainment, Panettiere died on Sunday, August 16, 2026. She began working in entertainment before her first birthday and went on to build a career spanning television and film, including prominent roles in Heroes, Nashville, and the Scream franchise.
Hayden Panettiere’s Early Career
Panettiere entered the entertainment industry at just 11 months old, appearing in a Playskool commercial.
In a 2023 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Panettiere recalled the commercial as her first experience in the industry.
"Playskool Toy Train was my first commercial, but I don't know if that would really be an introduction to acting, because I don't think acting was involved at that point. I didn't have lines; I was just playing," she said.
At age 4, Panettiere landed her first major television role as Sarah Roberts on the soap opera One Life to Live in 1994. She remained on the show for about three years before moving to Guiding Light, where she worked until 2000.
Panettiere was 10 when she appeared in the 2000 film Remember the Titans, a role that helped propel her to wider recognition. She continued working steadily in television and film before landing the role that would make her a household name.
Panettiere’s ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ Roles
In 2006, Panettiere began playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the television series Heroes. The role brought her international recognition and established her as one of the most recognizable young stars on television.
She later starred as Juliette Barnes in the musical drama series Nashville. Panettiere also appeared as Kirby Reed in the Scream film franchise.
Her long-running career in television and film contributed to the fortune she had accumulated by the time of her death.
Hayden Panettiere’s Memoir
Despite her professional success, Panettiere was open about the personal difficulties she experienced during her career.
In May, she released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she discussed her career, complicated family relationships, addiction, postpartum depression, domestic abuse, and recovery.
Panettiere had previously spoken about being offered "happy pills" when she was 15, according to Today. The offer came shortly before she was due to walk a red carpet.
"I had no idea that this was not an appropriate thing, or what door that would open for me when it came to my addiction," she said.
Her memoir also detailed the challenges she faced in balancing motherhood and her personal struggles.
Panettiere and Wladimir Klitschko
Hayden Panettiere and her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, welcomed their daughter, Kaya, in 2014.
In 2018, Panettiere allowed Klitschko to take Kaya to Ukraine to live with him, a decision she later described as "the hardest thing I ever had to do."
"I wanted to be a good mom to her — and sometimes that means letting go," Panettiere said.
Read: Actress Hayden Panettiere, 'Heroes' and 'Nashville' Star, Dies at 36
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