The entertainment world is still reeling from the unexpected death of Hayden Panettiere, who passed away at 36.
On Tuesday, Aug. 18, Grammy winner and multidisciplinary artist Solange posted a heartfelt message remembering the actress, her costar in the 2006 movie Bring It On: All or Nothing. The “Cranes in the Sky” artist included three screenshots from the beloved film with her tribute. The final image showed the pair looking at one another alongside the caption, “Warriors 4 life.”
Solange opened her message by writing, “rest in peace hayden. in peace, because you are so deserving of it,” Panettiere reached No. 58 on the Digital Song Sales chart in 2012 with “Undermine,” which appeared in the ABC series Nashville, where she played a leading role. Solange added, “we had so many parallels in our lives, and the world watched u so courageously live in your radical truth telling your story. we watched your endless quest for vulnerability, and healing.”
Continuing her remembrance, Solange wrote, “i salute your journey, and i honor the work we created together that became something that really means something to people…reaching people we couldn’t have ever imagined at the time, as two young girls, trying to keep looking to the light. the light surrounds you now. rest easy hayden.”
Panettiere’s passing came only three months after the release of her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. In the book, she opened up about experiencing mental health challenges and addiction throughout her life, explaining how becoming famous as a child and facing postpartum depression after childbirth made those struggles more difficult. She welcomed her only child, Kaya, now 11, in 2014. The actress, who received two Golden Globe nominations, also publicly came out as bisexual in May.
Released in August 2006, Bring It On: All or Nothing was the third movie in the popular cheerleading series and went straight to DVD. Panettiere and Solange, who was credited as Solange Knowles Smith at the time, portrayed rivals who eventually became friends, while a young Rihanna appeared as herself. Panettiere later secured major roles in Heroes from 2006 to 2010, Scream 4 in 2011 and Nashville from 2012 to 2018. Solange turned most of her attention toward music, releasing the Billboard 200 chart leader A Seat at the Table in 2016, followed by the widely praised When I Get Home in 2019.
In a statement issued Monday, Aug. 17, the Greenville, S.C. County Coroner’s office said medical responders discovered Panettiere in cardiac arrest on Sunday evening, Aug. 16. Emergency workers performed resuscitation and used additional measures in an effort to save her, but they were unsuccessful. The Grammy nominated voice actress was reportedly declared dead roughly 30 minutes after emergency services reached the location. At the time of publication, officials had not confirmed the cause or manner of her death.
