American actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in TV shows such as “Nashville” and “Heroes,” has died at the age of 36, U.S. media outlets reported on Sunday (August 16, 2026), citing a statement from her father.
Panettiere gained widespread recognition voicing Dot, the young princess ant in Pixar’s 1998 animated hit “A Bug’s Life. Her brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in 2023 at 28 from complications related to an enlarged heart and an aortic-valve condition, according to a family statement made to U.S. media later that year. A former child actor, Ms. Her work on the film’s read-along album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album for Children. Ms.
Panettiere earned two Golden Globe nominations, in 2013 and 2014, for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for her role as Juliette Barnes in the musical drama “Nashville”.
