'Nashville' Cast Mourns Loss Of Hayden Panettiere: 'We Are Heartbroken'

Connie Britton, Charles Esten, Sam Palladio and other members of the Nashville cast have shared emotional tributes in memory of their late co-star, Hayden Panettiere.

The Palisades, New York-born actress died on Sunday afternoon (August 16) at a home in Greenville, South Carolina. She was 36. Among many other roles throughout her career, Panettiere was known for playing ambitious country-pop sensation Juliette Barnes on the musical TV series. Nashville premiered in 2012 and ran until 2018. The Callie Khouri-created show followed “the lives and tragedies of rising and fading country music stars in Nashville, Tennessee,” reads its description on IMDb.

Many of Panettiere’s co-stars and others in the country music community have mourned her loss in emotional tributes, shared sentimental memories of her, and more. Scroll below to find tributes to Hayden Panettiere.

This story will be updated.

Connie Britton

“This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright. I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now. 💔”

Nashville’s Chris Carmack replied in the comments, “Such a devastating loss💔 this is how I’ll remember her too.” The show’s Kimberly Williams-Paisley added, “💔💔💔💔”

Charles Esten

“Patty and I are stunned and saddened at the loss of our dear and beautiful friend Hayden,” Esten wrote, in part. “Together, we are heartbroken that she is gone, and praying for her family, and for all those who, like us, will miss and mourn her so dearly. God bless you, Hayden. Rest In Peace and Light ❤️”

Williams-Paisley said she’d “been thinking of you and the Nashville cast all day. What a beautiful post. 💔💔❤️‍🩹”

Sam Palladio

“Hayden. I’m totally utterly heartbroken,” Palladio wrote, in part, reflecting on memories with Panettiere. “You were generous, wise beyond your years and lit up every room with your star. …It’s not lost on me that myself and all my ‘Nashville’ cast mates are here in no small part because of your shine, and your magnetism on and off screen. This is going to take a long time to get to grips with this huge loss and my thoughts are with your family and your dear daughter and all the fans that are just as heartbroken as me. For now, I’m sending love to you sweet Hayden. I know we’ll all come together in the following days to pay beautiful tribute. Rest now and be free.”

Chaley Rose

“One day, on a day off, I sat at video village to watch Hayden work,” Rose wrote. “I was pretty green and wanted to see what I could learn from her. When action was called, she’d break down in tears, cutting off chunks of her hair. On cut, she’d come out and casually talk with me. I watched her do it over and over. When I asked how she did it, she didn’t have an answer. She’d been acting so long, it was just something she didn’t have to think about. But isn’t that just being deeply empathetic? What an incredible talent. What an incredible loss. I hope she is resting easy.”

Sylvia Jefferies

“This hits deep,” Jeffries, Panettiere’s onscreen mother wrote, in part. “I pause as I reflect on her, looking at photos, remembering scenes, listening to voicemails, and remembering the first time she called me ‘Mama’ while she shared stories of her youth. We seemed far apart, but we were very close in our hearts. Our birthdays even being one week apart. 20years (!) and one week apart. We reconnected a few months ago after I read her memoir, and had plans to see each other when she was passing through again. Hopefully surprising Deacon [Charles Esten] at his show on my birthday in Greenville. I was so proud of her for sharing the real Hayden, something that had to be excruciatingly painful for such a gentle soul. Our hearts are shattered, knowing that you are not just a phone call or text away, but we can rest easy knowing that you’re at peace, with your brother, dancing in that water with the dolphins for whom you cared so dearly. I love you, sweet girl. Always, in all ways. Love, Mama.”

Judith Hoag

“This was the Hayden I met and fell in love with,” Hoag wrote. “Hayden was a special soul and a very deep river. If she trusted you she was completely unguarded, genuinely curious, generous and a complete goof ball. Spending time with her was always an adventure. She asked me, shortly after we met “You don’t want anything from me, do you?” I didn’t, I just loved her exactly as she was, but I understood in that moment that her life had been a kind of commodity, in her friendships, in her career, in her family. Hayden deserved so much better than she got. She was on the road to recovery and whatever happened in the end… I know she’s at peace now. I dearly hope our soul paths cross again in the eternal by and by. ✨💔🙏🏻🕊️✨”

Ed Amatrudo

“No words…”

Jeffries replied in the comments, “Shattered and broken 💔”

Rhiannon Giddens

“RIP Hayden Panettiere- I got to be your angel once upon a time ❤️❤️❤️,” Giddens shared.

Jay DeMarcus, Rascal Flatts

“Just heard the tragic news of Hayden’s passing,” the Rascal Flatts star said. “I had the privilege of working with her several times during her years here in Nashville, this is absolutely heartbreaking.. prayers for the family.”

Bluebird Cafe

“Rest in Peace, Hayden Panettiere,” reads a post from the historic Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee, which served as a significant location on the show. “She was a spark; funny, incredibly talented, beautiful. ‘Nashville’ brought her to us at The Bluebird, and she became part of our family through that. We are heartbroken hearing the news of her passing and we join with her family, friends and colleagues in mourning her loss. 🩵”

Clare Bowen

Clare Bowen, who played Scarlett O’Connor, shared a heartfelt tribute to Panettiere on Instagram on Wednesday morning (August 19), captioned simply with a heart emoji.

Jonathan Jackson

“I have no words to express the loss of our beloved Hayden,” Jackson wrote. “She had such a bright light within her. She was a sensitive soul. Incredibly funny and witty. Amazingly gifted, with a great sense of empathy and compassion. We both grew up in the industry, although she started even younger than me, but we shared that. A silent knowing of how intense the struggles can be. She was an absolute joy to work with. Focused, spontaneous and brilliant. The most important thing between friends and coworkers is trust, and we had this. Elisa and I both love and cherish her deeply, like our own sister. She holds that place in our hearts. My prayer for her every day we worked together was that she would know how loved she is, and that she would find the peace that she was looking for. It’s not possible to express the shock and grief that so many of us feel right now. Our humble prayers are with her family. May God’s angels carry you to your place of rest and true peace. We love you Hayden. You will always be in our hearts. Always.”

Chris Carmack

“Erin and I are both heartbroken at the loss of Hayden,” Carmack shared. “We both knew her and worked with her on Nashville. Erin was cast as her band member and I had the pleasure of being her scene and stage partner during the run of the show. When I came aboard, new to the show the whole cast including Hayden made me feel welcome to the new city and life I would live for 6 years. We laughed together, sang together, and danced together on set and at the many concerts and events we were able to attend. We both became parents around the same time and we bonded over that. Now there is an empty place in our hearts knowing that she is gone. As for her talent… it was undeniable. She was incredible on screen and somehow, even more incredible in person which is hard to believe.

“Our hearts break for her family and their loss. And for all who had the pleasure of working with her. She was a true talent and was taken far too soon. Hayden, you will be missed. I always thought that I’d see you again 💔🕊️”

Eric Close

“Unfortunately, Hayden and I didn’t get to work together very often while we were on Nashville,” Close posted. “Our storylines were worlds apart but on those rare occasions when we “took the stage” together it was a blast. Especially when I was behind the camera directing her. Hayden was immensely talented, fearless, brash, sweet and hilarious. She brought joy to everyone who loved watching her work her magic and light up the screen. Hayden, you left this world far too soon kid. I pray that you’ve found the love and joy you were longing for. Rest in peace my friend.”