The Last Movie Hayden Panettiere Was In Before She Died

Hayden Panettiere was a promising child star who became a world-famous icon in her teens, known to millions as cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC's "Heroes." It was a breakthrough that catapulted her to many more beloved roles on screens big and small, such as the titular role in romcom "I Love You, Beth Cooper" and the fan favorite role of Kirby Reed, introduced in 2011's "Scream 4." Following the tragic and unexpected news of her death just days before her 37th birthday, first reported by ABC News on the evening of Sunday, August 16, fans are looking back through her filmography to revisit some of her finest moments, and they may be surprised to learn that she was the star of a psychological thriller released earlier this year.

Premiering on January 9, "Sleepwalker" starred Panettiere as Sarah Pangborn, a woman reeling from the loss of her young daughter Aimee (Corinne Sweeney) in a car accident, which left her abusive husband Michael (Justin Chatwin) in a coma. Back living with her overly eccentric mother Gloria (Beverley D'Angelo), she can't shake the thought that Michael is still watching and tormenting her, triggering her to the point that she starts having violent outbursts when sleepwalking. The lines between dream and reality grow blurred, and the movie intends to make you question whether this traumatized mother was responsible for the death of her daughter.

Released just a few months before the release of her candid memoir "This is Me: A Reckoning" in May, this meaty lead role sadly turned out to be her last; there were no projects filmed before her passing that are yet to be released.

Despite the prestige of Leonardo DiCaprio's production firm Appian Way backing it, critics weren't convinced by "Sleepwalker," which scored a low 14% on Rotten Tomatoes (although it should be stated that, as a straight-to-VOD movie, this wasn't widely reviewed). Panettiere's performance turned out to be the saving grace, with reviewers singling out her anguished turn as a grieving mother as the highlight. Critic Phil Walsh of Geek Vibes Nation summed this up when he wrote: "Even with the sleep-deprived elements of the story, Panettiere is like watching a natural event. She is both forceful and moving."

This sentiment was echoed by Letterboxd users, whose love for Panettiere far outweighed their love for the movie itself. As user Tommy wrote in his review: "What I will say is I had the time of my life watching this. I was hooked. It flew by, 90 minutes feeling like 30. Much of that is due to Hayden's magnetic screen presence; she can make any slop watchable, but she absolutely bodies those big horror moments. Scream Queen reign continues!"

Fans have already begun seeking out the movie following the news of her passing, as they aim to catch up with her final performance. At the time of writing, the most recent Letterboxd review is from user Mega_MovieZ, who stressed that the movie was a good illustration for how Panettiere effortlessly managed to elevate the flimsiest projects. Their review reads: "Ok admittedly this was a bad choice to honor Hayden Panettiere. I can't believe she's gone. 36 is way too young. She gave her 100% in this movie despite a weak script. She will be dearly missed."

Audiences will have first heard Panettiere before they saw her, with her first two major roles being voice acting performances in Disney blockbusters "A Bug's Life" and "Dinosaur." In the former she voiced Dot, the younger sister of Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Princess Atta, and in the latter, she voiced the lemur Suri. Also in 2000, she made a major impression acting opposite Denzel Washington in the high-school football drama "Remember the Titans" at just 11-years old, with some of her biggest scenes appearing in the trailer — holding your own against Denzel isn't the worst way to make a name for yourself as a child star.

This started an impressive 2000s run which included many of her best movie and TV performances, from recurring roles in "Malcolm in the Middle" and the final season of "Ally McBeal," to eternally rewatchable family movies such as "The Ice Princess," and eventually major TV roles on "Heroes" and "Nashville." That series, which ran for six seasons on ABC and two more on CMT, was an acclaimed deep dive into the heart of country music, and the fates of two women in an industry dominated by sexism and ageism. It was heralded for giving her one of her finest showcases.

This decade, she returned to the "Scream" franchise as Ghostface survivor Kirby Reed, now an FBI agent still traumatized from surviving the 2011 massacre. She filmed a new scene for the remaster of horror game "Until Dawn," and received more widespread acclaim for another of her final lead roles, the 2024 Hulu thriller "Amber Alert." There are plenty of movies and series to revisit after fans have caught up with her final starring vehicle, and we hope they'll bring fond memories.