Hayden Panettiere’s haunting final post and interview weeks before her death aged 36

Hayden Panettiere’s past was riddled with heartbreak, but the mum and actress celebrated life weeks before her sudden passing.

The Heroes star, whose death aged 36 was confirmed on Monday, shared an Instagram post on July 27, celebrating “good times” and company.

The former Disney actress posted a photo enjoying a fun night with Zoolander star-turned-celebrity photographer Randall Slavin.

“Good times and good friends @randallslavin,” Panettiere captioned the photo, posted two weeks ago.

In the photo, the Nashville star is winking and poking her tongue out, while Slavin sweetly stares into her eyes, with his arm wrapped around her.

Slavin commented on the post at the time, writing, “Love this. Good times babe. Xxx.” After hearing of her death, Slavin took to his own Instagram Stories to reshare the star’s final photo, writing, “Peace be with you, H.”

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Hayden Panettiere dies aged 36: ‘She was an incredible light and a force of nature’

Five days earlier, Panettiere announced what would be her final cover story appearance, on the cover of mum magazine Momé for its launch issue.

“The world knew @haydenpanettiere from the headlines. It never knew the woman underneath them,” wrote the publication in a joint post with the beloved actress.

The publication spoke of the motherhood Panettiere never imagined.

“A near-fatal birth. A postpartum depression Hayden had no words for yet. An emptiness inside a life that, from the outside, looked like everything,” the post wrote.

“The help she found was aimed at the wrong thing, while the thing that was actually hurting her went unseen for years.”

⁠The July 2026 cover story came after the actress released her memoir This is Me: A Reckoning in May.

In her final cover story, Panettiere shared a message, “what she most wants other mothers to hear”.

“That you can love your child with everything you have and still not be able to feel it. That the silence is the danger,” the post continued.

“That asking for help is not failure.⁠ Through it all, one thing never changed. She never stopped choosing her daughter.⁠”

A representative for Panettiere confirmed her death in a statement to ABC US.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” the statement read.

“She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her -- and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”

The actress’ cause of death has not been revealed.

In her memoir, the actress detailed the highs and lows of fame, her past relationships and her struggles with severe postpartum depression and addiction.

Panettiere is survived by her daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, aged 11.