Hayden Panettiere had a prolific career, starting at a young age. Thanks to this, many actors and actresses who worked with the late star have shared tributes since the tragic news of her passing has come out. Recently, Justin Chatwin, who worked with her on one of her final projects, recently touched on knowing her throughout the years.
Hayden Panettiere Passed Away At The Age Of 36 On August 16, 2026
Starting her career as a young child, Panettiere had become known for a variety of roles. She played Claire Bennet on the NBC superhero series, Heroes, Kirby Reed in the Scream horror franchise, and Juliette Barnes in the musical drama Nashville. She also started her career in soaps, including One Life to Live and Guiding Light.
Tragically, Panettiere passed away at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16, 2026, with first responders pronouncing her dead at the scene. She was 36 at the time of her death.
Since the news has come out, tributes have poured in honoring the actress from various people who worked alongside her throughout her extensive career. One such figure is Justin Chatwin, who worked with her on Sleepwalker, one of her final film roles.
Speaking with People, Chatwin noted that he first met Panettiere while she was working on Heroes. They would reconnect decades later for Sleepwalker. The thriller, which filmed in winter 2025, had been released in January. The story saw Panettiere struggling with the loss of her daughter following a car crash, which Chatwin noted hit too close to home for the actress.
Chatwin noted, “We hit it off great and it was an awesome shoot, but it was about domestic abuse and it was subject matter that may have hit close to home, because she did mention it. She opened up to me about a lot of things.”
Justin Chatwin Described The Actress As Having A ‘Beautiful Heart’
The actor noted the changes he saw Panettiere go through over the years, noting the struggles she faced concerning addiction and postpartum depression. He shared, “Hayden seemed different when I met her this time than when I met her in the early years. I’ve been sober for 15 years, so I know this world of addiction, and Hollywood — it takes, and it takes from youth.”
Chatwin shared that Hayden opened up to him about struggles she had faced involving trauma. He shared, “I could tell she was struggling, and I was like, ‘I don’t think it’s this movie.’ There’s a handful of women that I’ve worked with that I really liked, and I really loved working with her, but I also know that she was really lonely.”
Ultimately, noting their line of work, Chatwin highlighted the pressure to put on a brave face in public. He expressed, “I’m sure that everyone else is going to say ‘Oh, she’s amazing. She’s such a sweet person on set,’ because she was. But we’re trained to be actors, so we’re acting on set, you know? And she is sweet. She had a beautiful heart.”
“But we’re trained to be on, and I really liked spending time with her because she took that off, and she was authentic with me about her life and she opened up about her struggles with addiction. And who knows where it comes from? Does it come from Hollywood? Does it come from home? And a lot of times, it’s both.”
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John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.