A heartwarming video of a young Hayden Panettiere has captured widespread attention following the unexpected news of her demise this past Sunday.
The cherished clip features an 11-year-old Panettiere energetically singing Britney Spears’ hit You Drive Me Crazy during a memorable appearance on Rosie O’Donnell’s talk show back in 2000.
Rosie O’Donnell was visibly captivated as she watched the youthful actress perform, eventually rewarding her with an enthusiastic high five.
At that moment, Panettiere was on a promotional tour for the Disney sports drama Remember the Titans, where she played Sheryl Yoast, the spirited daughter of Coach Bill Yoast, portrayed by Will Patton.
The viral video sparked a wave of admiration on social media for Panettiere’s undeniable talent, with many reflecting fondly on her brief venture into the world of pop music later in her career.
The clip started making the rounds on social media after Panettiere died in Greenville, South Carolina, at just 36 years old. Narcan was found in the apartment where she died, after the Heroes actress suffered an apparent overdose.
A video of 11-year-old Hayden Panettiere singing has gone viral following the star’s shock death on Sunday at age 36
Underneath the resurfaced clip of her singing, one fan simply wrote: ‘So talented.’
‘Wow. She really had charisma! Very sad,’ another added.
‘So sad. I first saw her in Remember the Titans. What a little powerhouse.’
‘This is so precious. Bless her heart, I wish things had turned out differently for her. Rest in Peace, Hayden.’
‘She was so talented. may she rest in peace.’
Another fan noted that in the clip Panettiere was the ‘same age as her daughter who she leaves behind today.’
‘Sad considering that’s how old her daughter currently is,’ another wrote.
Panettiere battled postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter Kaya in 2014. She later gave full custody of Kaya to her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
Kaya, now 11, lives in Europe with her father.
The clip shows the baby-faced actress performing You Drive Me Crazy by Britney Spears during an appearance on Rosie O’Donnell’s talk show in 2000
As the young Panettiere performed, a starstruck O’Donnell watched on before giving her a high five
Fans have also been leaving comments underneath a music video for Panettiere’s 2008 single Wake Up Call; Seen in a still from the video
The track was intended to lead into a full album, but the project was ultimately scrapped
Social media users praised Panettiere’s immense talent while reminiscing about her short-lived pop star era, which came later in her career
Another fan noted that in the clip Panettiere was the ‘same age as her daughter who she leaves behind today’
Panettiere battled postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter Kaya in 2014. She later gave full custody of Kaya to her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Kaya, now 11, lives in Europe with her father
Fans have also been leaving comments underneath a music video for Panettiere’s 2008 single Wake Up Call.
‘I am heart broken I listen to this song every week since its release,’ one wrote.
‘I can’t believe it. We used to play that song on our phones on the way home from the club when it came out.’
Beyond her acting career, Panettiere built a versatile musical catalog that spanned Disney soundtracks, solo pop releases, and country hits.
In 1999 she earned a Grammy nomination for her contribution to A Bug’s Life.
She went on to regularly contribute to the soundtracks of her own films, including Tiger Cruise and The Dust Factory in 2004, followed by Ice Princess in 2005.
Panettiere made her standalone pop debut in August 2008 with the reggae-infused single Wake Up Call, her first musical release unconnected to an acting project.
The track was intended to lead into a full album, but the project was ultimately scrapped.
Her biggest musical impact came with her starring role on Nashville, where she recorded numerous country chart singles
She played Juliette Barnes on the ABC show; Pictured in a still with Connie Britton
Her biggest musical impact came with her starring role on Nashville, where she recorded numerous country chart singles, contributed to the show’s soundtrack albums, and made numerous concert appearances associated with the show’s touring promotion.
The Hollywood star earned multiple award nominations across her career, most notably while playing cheerleader Claire Bennet on Heroes and Juliette Barnes on Nashville.
On Monday, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said that Panettiere’s autopsy had been completed and that no signs of trauma were found on the star’s body.
Further investigations will now take place to establish her cause of death, with chief deputy coroner Shelton England telling the Daily Mail that it was too early to discuss the drug overdose theory.
It is still unclear if Narcan had been used to try and revive Panettiere, although 911 audio obtained earlier on Monday revealed that the actress had gone into cardiac arrest following a suspected overdose.
Meanwhile, a neighbor has spoken of the chaos that unfolded at the scene Sunday after Panettiere was found unresponsive and efforts to revive her proved unsuccessful.
Micah Lee, who lives in the Judson Mill Lofts complex where Panettiere died, claimed there was a ‘bunch of commotion in the hallway’ after the star allegedly ‘collapsed’ in a unit in the building.
‘The halls are pretty hollow, so noise echoes throughout. And I had just heard about someone collapsing,’ Lee told WYFF. ‘And then afterwards there was talk about cardiac arrest. I can’t confirm any of that. That’s just what I’ve heard.’
In an audio of a 911 call made at 1.51pm Sunday, a female dispatcher described the actress as suffering a ‘cardiac arrest.’
A few moments later, a male dispatcher could be heard saying that Panettiere had suffered a suspected overdose at the home.
Panettiere died in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday. Narcan was found in the apartment where she died, after the actress suffered an apparent overdose; Pictured in 2022
The actress – who was due to turn 37 this Friday – was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.32pm, just over 40 minutes after the first 911 call was made.
The cause and exact manner of her death remain under investigation.
The actress had a history of suffering from drug addiction, beginning when she was just 15 years old. At the time, she claimed she started taking ‘happy pills’ in an effort to make her seem more ‘peppy’ during interviews.
Her addiction worsened while she was battling postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter Kaya in 2014.
But Panettiere has been sober in recent years, she said in a 2022 interview, noting that ‘it’s an everyday battle.’
‘It’s an everyday choice, and I’m checking in with myself all the time,’ Panettiere told People at the time. ‘But I’m just so grateful to be part of this world again, and I will never take it for granted again.’
The tragic news of her death comes just months after her memoir, This is Me: A Reckoning, became a New York Times bestseller. In the book, Panettiere described how she contended with fame and handled the difficulties in her life.
She is predeceased by her brother, Jansen, who passed away in February 2023 from ‘an enlarged heart’ at the age of 28.