Actress Hayden Panettiere has passed away at the age of 36; a possible overdose call has sparked new inquiries regarding her final hours

The actress was discovered unresponsive in South Carolina as authorities look into her death, years after she openly talked about alcohol, opioids, postpartum depression, and her journey to recovery.

Hayden Panettiere was discovered unresponsive on Sunday afternoon in Greenville, South Carolina, and passed away after emergency crews attempted to revive her, raising significant questions about the events leading up to her final hours. Dispatch audio from the emergency response indicated an overdose, yet authorities have not verified that drugs were the cause of the 36-year-old actress’s death.

On August 16, at approximately 1:50 p.m., Greenville police and emergency medical personnel arrived at a residence following a report of an unresponsive woman, as reported by PEOPLE. An acquaintance made the 911 call. Emergency responders attempted to save Panettiere’s life before officials declared her deceased. Audio from the dispatch recorded officials talking about an “overdose” and “cardiac arrest” during the emergency response.

The reference has positioned a potential overdose at the forefront of initial inquiries regarding Panettiere’s death reports, though it remains an unofficial cause of death. The initial inquiry revealed no indications of wrongdoing or any suspicious factors. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office is conducting the death investigation and will establish the cause after performing an autopsy. The Associated Press reported that Panettiere was pronounced dead after efforts to save her life were unsuccessful.

The ambiguity surrounding her death is particularly significant, as Panettiere dedicated years to openly discussing addiction, depression, and the challenging journey of achieving sobriety. Those struggles are integral to her history.

In a 2022 interview with PEOPLE, Panettiere first openly discussed the extent of her addiction. She mentioned her battle with alcohol and opioids as her career flourished, recalling an instance at 15 when a team member provided her with what she referred to mood-enhancingappy pills.” She mentioned that her substance use became progressively harder to manage outside of work. Reflecting on that time, she characterized herself as being in a “cycle of self-destruction.”

Her mental health grew increasingly complex following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in December 2014, a child she shares with her former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere consistently discussed her struggles with intense postpartum depression. During a Good Morning America interview, she shared that she found it challenging to distinguish between her emotional struggles and her drinking habits.

“I was acutely aware of my deep depression,” she said.

In a comprehensive interview with Women’s Health in 2023, Panettiere revealed that her alcohol consumption had started to increase years prior as she turned to drinking as a means to manage stress. After giving birth, she recounted feeling an overwhelming sense of hopelessness as her drinking escalated. She mentioned that opioids became a factor following an old neck injury that resulted in considerable pain, leading to a rapid increase in her tolerance. Panettiere entered a treatment center during the production of “Nashville” in 2015, expressing to the magazine, “I was drowning.” She subsequently resumed treatment and engaged in therapy as well as a 12-step recovery program.

By 2024, Panettiere was openly discussing her recovery with a much more positive outlook. In a separate interview with PEOPLE, she shared with those facing addiction that “Recovery is real.” It is possible. She emphasized that acknowledging her history with addiction was crucial to maintaining her sobriety, rather than pretending that part of her life had vanished.

Her progress faced a significant challenge with another devastating loss. Jansen Panettiere, the younger brother of Hayden Panettiere, passed away unexpectedly in February 2023 due to a heart condition at the age of 28. In a September 2024 interview with PEOPLE, she expressed that his death made her feel as if she had lost half of her soul. She mentioned that grief played a role in the resurgence of her agoraphobia and undermined her confidence, despite her efforts to restore stability and keep progressing.

Panettiere reflected on the most challenging years of her addiction just months before her passing in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” which was released in May 2026. She described how alcohol served as a temporary escape from anxiety, depression, relationship trauma, and the separation from her daughter. She also disclosed that after experiencing jaundice, a doctor cautioned her that continued drinking could result in her being “dead within five years.” Panettiere expressed that treatment ultimately restored the feelings of calm and joy that addiction had taken away.

Those words carry a particular weight following Panettiere’s death, yet they cannot be regarded as evidence regarding the circumstances of her passing. Her history with addiction and depression provides significant context to a life she has chosen to share with transparency.