Actress Hayden Panettiere found dead in South Carolina at 36

Hayden Panettiere, the actress known for starring in "Heroes" and "Nashville," was found dead in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday at age 36.

A friend discovered Panettiere unresponsive inside an apartment at Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville shortly before 2 p.m. local time. The friend called 911 at 1:51 p.m., reporting that the actress was unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. Emergency responders performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, chest compressions, and advanced cardiac life support. She was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m., approximately 40 minutes after the emergency call.

According to dispatch audio, emergency personnel referenced a possible "overdose" and "cardiac arrest." Authorities said there were no initial signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances at the scene. The Greenville County Coroner's Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death. No official cause has been disclosed.

Panettiere rose to prominence in the late 1990s, appearing in the Pixar animated film "A Bug's Life" at age eight. She gained wider recognition for her role as Claire Bennet in NBC's "Heroes," which aired from 2006 to 2010. She later starred as Juliette Barnes in the country music drama series "Nashville" and appeared in the "Scream" film franchise.

In recent years, Panettiere had been open about her struggles with alcohol addiction and depression. In May, she released her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," discussing her experiences growing up in the entertainment industry, her battles with addiction and mental health, and experiences of abuse she endured early in her career. During an appearance on the "On Purpose With Jay Shetty" podcast in May, she spoke about feeling she had "shaken off all of this darkness and negativity" and said she felt she had "a lot more life to live."

In a July interview with parenting magazine Momé, weeks before her death, Panettiere discussed her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko. She described nearly dying during childbirth, requiring seven blood transfusions and three hours of surgery. She later agreed to allow Kaya to live with her father while she sought treatment for addiction and mental health issues, a decision she described as the hardest of her life.

Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement, saying she was "an incredible person, a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to everyone who knew her and to the millions who saw her on screen."

Several of her former co-stars and colleagues shared tributes following her death. Viola Davis, who worked with Panettiere in the 2016 film "Custody," described her as "an old, wise soul with such a deep heart." Other actors from the "Scream" franchise and fellow cast members from her television work also posted messages of remembrance on social media.

Panettiere would have turned 37 on Friday, August 22.