Hayden Panettiere is only 36 years old, but her acting credits already cover three decades. That’s certainly saying something in the entertainment industry. The young star kick-started her career in commercials and soap operas but became a household name thanks to the 2000 hit Remember the Titans.
You probably remember her as the football-obsessed daughter of Coach Yoast (Will Patton); you know, the little girl who would rather scream instructions from the sidelines of games than touch a dress or dolls. It’s impossible not to watch that movie and think, ‘That little girl is going to be a star.’ And the next couple of years proved that prediction right.
In 2006, she tossed the pigskin and picked up some pom-poms for a role in NBC’s Heroes, the hit show that had everyone repeating the famous line, “Save the cheerleader, save the world.” After that, projects kept flowing in. From teen flicks like Bring It On: All or Nothing to a recurring role in the Scream movie franchise, and let’s not forget a six-season run of the country series Nashville.
Nashville proved that Hayden’s vocal abilities went beyond just tween bops. She sang all her own songs for the show and delivered memorable (not to mention heartfelt) performances that could rival any real country singer.
Sadly, the series did take a toll on her mental and physical health. Panettiere told The Messenger that filming the show was “very traumatising” because she felt like she was acting out her own life. The writers allegedly pulled from her real struggles when putting together storylines for her character, Juliette. This meant Hayden had to rehash her battles with alcoholism, drug addiction, and postpartum depression on screen for the whole world to see.
Thankfully, her story doesn’t end there. Hayden did seek professional help and has been sober for years. But to get to the point that she is at now meant taking time away from the spotlight. Time to grow, time to heal. Which is why she disappeared for a while.
After almost five years, she finally made a big comeback with Scream VI in 2023 and has been adding to her credits again ever since. If anything, Hayden is proof that it’s possible to overcome struggles and come out stronger on the other side. You can bet you’ll be seeing more of this child star turned beautiful actress in the years to come.
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