Hayden Panettiere, the actress and voice actor known for roles in Until Dawn and the original Kingdom Hearts series, has died at age 36. She passed away unexpectedly on August 16. Her entertainment career spanned three decades, beginning in childhood and extending across film, television, and video game voice work.
The loss marks the end of a career that bridged multiple entertainment mediums, with her gaming work representing a notable chapter alongside her television and film appearances.
- Panettiere voiced characters in the original Kingdom Hearts games, making her a recognizable figure in gaming culture beyond her screen roles.
- Her career longevity across three decades demonstrated sustained work in an industry that often sidelines child performers.
- Until Dawn's cast roster and the Kingdom Hearts vocal lineup both lose a credited contributor.
All coverage
Polygon
· Aug 17, 13:50 UTC
Hayden Panettiere, Star of Heroes and Kingdom Hearts, Dies at 36
The actor known for roles in Heroes, Nashville, Until Dawn, and Kingdom Hearts as Kairi has died at age 36, according to Hayden Panettiere's father.
Cgmagonline
· Aug 17, 13:45 UTC
Heroes, Nashville Star Hayden Panettiere Dies At 36
American actress and star of Heroes and Nashville, Hayden Panettiere has died at 36—no cause of death has been made available at this time.
GameSpot
· Aug 17, 12:13 UTC
Hayden Panettiere, Heroes And Kingdom Hearts Star, Dies At 36
Actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36. Best known for her roles in hit TV series like Heroes and Nashville, Panettiere also had major roles in the Kingdom Hearts video game series and Supermassive Games' cult-classic horror ga…
PC Gamer
· Aug 17, 10:56 UTC
Kingdom Hearts and Until Dawn actress Hayden Panettiere has died at 36
Her father described her as "an incredible light and a force of nature".
Eurogamer
· Aug 17, 09:26 UTC
Heroes and Until Dawn star Hayden Panettiere dies aged 36
Hayden Panettiere - the actor who shot to fame as the cheerleader in TV superhero show Heroes - has died aged 36.
Dexerto
· Aug 17, 09:13 UTC
Scream and Until Dawn actress Hayden Panettiere dies aged 36
Scream, Until Dawn, and Kingdom Hearts actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36, her father Skip Panettiere has announced.
Gamereactor UK
· Aug 17, 07:04 UTC
Until Dawn, Heroes and Scream star Hayden Panettiere has sadly died
Hayden Panettiere, the star of Scream 4 and 6, as well as Heroes, Until Dawn, and countless other film, TV, and video game projects, has died aged 36. A cause of death is not immediately known, as the report of Panettiere's death arrived in…
TheGamer
· Aug 17, 06:21 UTC
Hayden Panettiere, Known For Roles In Kingdom Hearts And Until Dawn, Dead At 36
The sad news was confirmed by her representative.
Pushsquare
· Aug 17, 05:30 UTC
Until Dawn's Hayden Panettiere Tragically Passes Away Aged Just 36
"She was an incredible light". Hayden Panettiere, best known for shows like Heroes and Nashville , has tragically passed away aged just 36-years-old. The US actress will be remembered among PlayStation fans for her role in PS4 horror game U…
GameRant
· Aug 17, 04:46 UTC
Kingdom Hearts Actress Hayden Panettiere Has Died
Film and TV actress Hayden Panettiere, who provided her voice in the original Kingdom Hearts games, passes away unexpectedly on August 16.
IGN
· Aug 17, 03:37 UTC
Heroes Star Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36
The former child actor’s entertainment career spanned three decades.
Com
· Aug 17, 03:25 UTC
Until Dawn/Kingdom Hearts Star Hayden Panettiere Has Died At Age 36
Image features Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in Until Dawn and Kingdom Hearts, with contrasting expressions. " data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Hayden-600x337.jpg" /> In e…