Panettiere was found unresponsive in a Greenville, S.C., home and later pronounced dead on Aug. 16.

Hayden Panettiere stuck up for background actors when they were mistreated,’ Heroes costar says

Panettiere was found unresponsive in a Greenville, S.C., home and later pronounced dead on Aug. 16.

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August 18, 2026 10:15 a.m. ET

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Sendhil Ramamurthy and Hayden Panettiere in 2007. Credit:

John Shearer/WireImage

- Sendhil Ramamurthy is remembering his *Heroes* costar Hayden Panettiere after her death at 36 on Aug. 16.

- The actor wrote that Panettiere was a real-life hero on the set of the sci-fi series, too.

- “She stuck up for background actors when they were mistreated,” he wrote.

Sendhil Ramamurthy says Hayden Panettiere was very much a real-life hero on the *Heroes* set.

The actor, who played Dr. Mohinder Suresh on the sci-fi series, remembered his costar and the way that she would always stick up for others in a poignant Instagram post following her death at 36 on Aug. 16.

“This is such a rough one,” Ramamurthy wrote. “The 1st time I met Hayden was at the final screen test for *Heroes*. I was so nervous I was sweating through my shirt b4 I even got there.”

Hayden Panettiere and Sendhil Ramamurthy during the Cast of Heroes Panel at NATPE at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mathew Imaging/FilmMagic

He continued, “I went straight to the bathroom to compose myself and then went to sign in, expecting to find a bunch of fellow nervous-as-hell actors. Instead I found Hayden belting show tunes in the waiting room. Not a nerve in sight.”

Ramamurthy explained that he quickly left the waiting room and “spent the rest of the time in the hallway sweating,” but recalled being impressed by Panettiere’s composure even in such nerve-wracking circumstances.

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“Hayden was already a pro. I was nearly twice her age and she had 3x as much experience. I learned a lot from her,” he shared. “She stuck up for background actors when they were mistreated, knew every crew members name, and was so generous with her time.”

He added, “Then there was me and Adrian Pasdar, being the responsible adults we are, going to the studio school room where Hayd had to go to class in between set ups, and coming up with excuses to try and boost her out of class.”

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Alongside his tribute, Ramamurthy shared a snapshot of himself and Panettiere that he explained was taken at a *Heroes* event in Las Vegas following the Golden Globes.

“We had to do press and I wasn’t feeling well. Hayd kept going on and on at me about drinking fluids and made sure I had plenty of Gatorade,” he recalled. “That’s how I will remember her: a kind, joyful, professional, shi*talker, who even at a young age, understood the importance of hydration.”

Ramamurthy concluded, “Sending love to her family, friends, and my fellow cast mates, RIP Hayd. You will be missed ❤️.”

Hayden Panettiere on ‘Heroes’.

Dean Hendler/NBC

A representative for Panettiere confirmed her death to ** in an Aug. 16 statement released on behalf of her father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” it read. “We ask for privacy as our family takes  time to process this unimaginable loss.”

Panettiere was discovered “unresponsive” and “in cardiac arrest” at a Greenville, S.C., residence on Sunday. The Greenville coroner confirmed to EW that “EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.” In a 911 call obtained by PEOPLE, officials can be heard discussing an apparent “overdose” while treating Panettiere. An investigation into her death is underway.

Ramamurthy isn’t the only *Heroes* alum remembering Panettiere. Bryan Fuller, who wrote on the first season of the NBC series, also penned a heartfelt Instagram tribute honoring the late actress on Monday.

“It was an honor and an inspiration to write Claire Bennet’s storyline in season one of HEROES,” he wrote. “Hayden was more than an actress she was a muse. Wise beyond her years and already saddled with so much of a life, she left an indelible mark on me as a writer and a storyteller. Incredibly sad news.”

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