EMERGENCY POD: Save the Cheerleader, Save the World — Remembering Hayden Panettiere

Send us Fan MailHayden Panettiere—beloved star of Heroes, Nashville, Remember the Titans, and the Scream franchise—has died at 36.In this special episode, CeeGee remembers Hayden’s extraordinary career, her unforgettable performance as Juliette Barnes, and the vulnerability she shared in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. CeeGee also reflects on recently hearing Hayden discuss motherhood, recovery, and reclaiming her own story on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast.“Save the cheerleader, save the world” made Hayden famous. Her memoir revealed what it took for the cheerleader to try to save herself.At the time of publication, no cause of death had been disclosed. This episode does not speculate about the circumstances of her death.Rest in peace, Hayden Panettiere.This episode discusses addiction, postpartum depression, domestic abuse, and grief.SOURCES AND FURTHER READINGAssociated Press:https://apnews.com/article/1d660d3989916c3fa00421d05e4d78e7Reuters:https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/american-actress-hayden-panettiere-dies-36-abc-news-reports-2026-08-17/People:https://people.com/hayden-panettiere-dies-at-36-12061075Entertainment Weekly:https://ew.com/hayden-panettiere-dead-the-heroes-and-nashville-star-was-36-12061074NBC — Hayden’s conversation with Jay Shetty:https://www.nbcchicago.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/hayden-panettiere-jay-shetty-podcast-daughter-kaya-custody/3935388/Grand Central Publishing — This Is Me: A Reckoning:https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/hayden-panettiere/this-is-me/9781538773444/