Hayden Panettiere’s Nashville costar Jonathan Jackson opened up about his “shock and grief” over her death at age 36.
“I have no words to express the loss of our beloved Hayden,” Jackson, 44, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, August 19. “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.”
The two worked closely on the music-themed drama series, which ran from 2012 to 2016 on ABC and later from 2016 to 2018 on CMT. Panettiere played rising country music star Juliette Barnes while Jackson portrayed Juliette’s husband, bad boy Avery Barkley.
“She was an absolute joy to work with. Focused, spontaneous and brilliant,” Jackson remembered. “The most important thing between friends and coworkers is trust, and we had this. Lisa [Vultaggio, his wife] 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.”
The Greenville Police Department announced on Sunday, August 16, that Panettiere was found “unresponsive” at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. She was later pronounced dead from a suspected overdose.
An autopsy completed on Monday, August 17 determined that “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed” to Panettiere’s death. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office clarified that an official cause of death will be announced “pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies.”
“It’s not possible to express the shock and grief that so many of us feel right now,” Jackson wrote in reference to Panettiere’s death. “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.”
Several Nashville cast members have publicly paid tribute to Panettiere in the days since her death was announced. Connie Britton — who played Juliette Barnes’ rival Rayna Jaymes on Nashville — described her late costar as “bursting with brilliance [and] shining so bright.”
“I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now,” Britton, 59, wrote via Instagram on Monday.
Charles Esten shared the charming story of how he met Panettiere during the show’s audition process. (He appeared as songwriter Deacon Claybourne on Nashville.)
“I will never forget the first time I met her,” Esten recalled via Instagram on Monday. “In a sound stage office in Hollywood, I was finishing up my very first Nashville audition. I had read two Deacon scenes before pulling out my guitar and singing two songs. I said my goodbyes and, hoping I’d done well, went to open the door to leave. Instead of swinging all the way out, the door bumped into somebody. Kinda hard.”
The actor continued, “To my complete surprise, It was Hayden Panettiere, who — in full Juliette Barnes mode — had been listening with her ear to the door. Instead of looking even a little bit caught, her face instantly bloomed into the most beautiful smile. Eyes twinkling, she clapped her hands and said, ‘That was so good!!’”
Esten remembered developing an instant rapport with his future costar in that moment.
“I told her that, along with my Heroes-watching family, I was already a big fan of hers, and that I was grateful for the very kind words. It was her turn to go in, so as I went to leave, I said a jokingly cocky, ‘See you on the set,’” he wrote. “I was, of course, many auditions away from landing that incredible role. But when I finally did, and showed up in Nashville to start work, she walked right up to me, pointed in my face, and with that magical grin said, ‘See you on the set!’”
On Wednesday, PETA revealed that Panettiere shot a new animal rights campaign for them weeks before her death. The campaign features the late star posing in a bathtub in protest of the plight of marine animals living in extreme captivity in theme parks across the world.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
