Connie Britton is paying tribute to Nashville costar Hayden Panettiere after her death.
“This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright,” Britton, 59, wrote via Instagram on Monday, August 17, alongside a series of photos of the pair. “I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now. 💔.”
Britton starred opposite Panettiere in the hit 2010s series, in which the pair played country music singer Rayna Jaymes and rising star Juliette Barnes, respectively. The show ran for four seasons on ABC before CMT picked it up for two additional years. Britton exited in season 5.
Panettiere opened up about her dynamic with Britton in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, just months before her death.
“My character wasn’t intended to be the show’s star — not even close,” Panettiere wrote in the book, released in May. “That honor went to Connie, whose Rayna Jaymes was in the twilight of her career, facing a dramatic turning point thanks to yours truly.”
She continued, “Unfortunately, after the pilot, it was clear that my billing had gone way up. I went from maybe number five in terms of importance to nipping at Connie’s heels. I was deeply uncomfortable with this development.”
“I was 23 years old, and Connie was in her 40s with three Emmy nominations under her belt,” Panettiere explained. “This should have been her time to shine.”
Three months later, news broke on Sunday, August 16, that Panettiere died at age 36.
“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,” Hayden’s father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement to Us. “We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Hayden’s cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. One day after her father’s statement, authorities in South Carolina confirmed that they had responded to reports of an “unresponsive female” at a residence in Greenville. The individual was later identified as Hayden.
First responders attempted to resuscitate Hayden using “advanced cardiac life support,” including CPR, special medicines, breathing tubes and heart rhythm tracking, according to TMZ. Hayden was pronounced dead after the paramedics were unable to revive her.
Authorities could be heard discussing an “overdose” and “cardiac arrest” in dispatch audio obtained by People around the time of Hayden’s death. Police have confirmed that an investigation is ongoing.
“The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office,” authorities said in a statement. “The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call.”
