Actress Hayden Panettiere has died at 36. While millions knew her as Claire Bennet on Heroes and Juliette Barnes on Nashville, longtime soap fans first watched her grow up on daytime television as Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live and Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light. Panettiere also appeared in films including Remember the Titans and Scream 4. On Nashville, she starred alongside General Hospital‘s Jonathan Jackson.
Key Takeaways
- Hayden Panettiere dies at 36: The actress began her television career with memorable roles on One Life to Live and Guiding Light.
- From daytime to primetime: Panettiere went from playing Sarah Roberts and Lizzie Spaulding to starring on Heroes and Nashville.
- Bethany Joy Lenz remembers her co-star: Lenz (Michelle) shared memories of working with Panettiere during their Guiding Light years.
Remembering Hayden Panettiere
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” a representative for Panettiere said in a statement shared with ABC News. The statement remembered her as “an incredible light and a force of nature” who brought joy to those who knew and watched her.
Panettiere was just 5 years old when she began playing Sarah Roberts on OLTL in 1994. Sarah was the daughter of longtime favorites Cord (John Loprieno) and Tina Roberts (Karen Witter), and Panettiere remained with the soap until 1997.
She went on to portray another legacy character, Lizzie Spaulding, on GL from 1996 to 2000. Lizzie was the daughter of Phillip Spaulding (Grant Aleksander) and Beth Raines (Beth Chamberlin).
Those early daytime roles came years before Panettiere reached a much larger audience as Claire Bennet on Heroes from 2006 to 2010 and Juliette Barnes on Nashville from 2012 to 2018.
Bethany Joy Lenz Remembers Her GL Co-Star
Former GL co-star Bethany Joy Lenz (Michelle) shared an emotional tribute to Panettiere, recalling the young actress she knew at the soap.
“I’m crushed,” Lenz wrote, remembering Panettiere running through the studio hallways between rehearsals. She praised her remarkable intelligence and ability to understand “scenes and nuance and human struggle” at such a young age.
Lenz also reflected on staying connected with Panettiere over the years and expressed her heartbreak over her death. “I don’t understand how this is real,” she wrote.
Panettiere Told Her Story in 2026
Panettiere’s younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died unexpectedly in 2023.
In May 2026, the actress released her candid memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. In the book, Panettiere opened up about growing up as a child star as well as her experiences with postpartum depression and substance abuse.
Her career ultimately stretched more than three decades, but for daytime viewers, Panettiere will also be remembered as the young actress who brought Sarah Roberts and Lizzie Spaulding to life before becoming a primetime star.
