Hayden Panettiere's final film has taken on an especially emotional meaning following her death at 36. The actress starred in Sleepwalker, a psychological thriller released in January, alongside Justin Chatwin, who had first crossed paths with her years earlier during her Heroes days.
After Panettiere's death, Chatwin opened up about their time together on the film. He remembered her as warm and genuine, but also said he could tell she was struggling. Their conversations, he revealed, went beyond the film as Panettiere spoke about addiction, trauma and some of the difficult experiences she had faced.
Chatwin Remembers His Final Film With Panettiere
Chatwin and Panettiere reunited for Sleepwalker, filmed last year. Panettiere plays a woman grieving her daughter after a car crash, with the film also exploring domestic abuse.
The pair connected quickly, with Panettiere opening up about rehab, trauma and addiction. Chatwin recognised some of her struggles and felt she was different from when they first worked together.
'I could tell she was struggling,' Chatwin told People, adding: 'I really loved working with her, but I also know that she was really lonely.'
Chatwin said Panettiere seemed comfortable dropping the polished persona actors often maintain on set. 'She was authentic with me about her life and she opened up about her struggles with addiction,' he said, and described her as a sweet person with 'a beautiful heart'.
The actor also suggested Panettiere's struggles with addiction did not happen in isolation, expressing frustration over the wider pressures of Hollywood. 'I want to point a finger at something for this, and it keeps happening,' he said. 'I'm just saddened that another one got taken down.'
Inside Panettiere's Biggest Film and TV Roles
Panettiere began acting as a child, appearing in television commercials and programmes before landing film roles including Remember the Titans and voicing Dot in A Bug's Life. Her major breakthrough came with Heroes, where she played cheerleader Claire Bennet from 2006 to 2010.
She later became widely recognised for playing country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville, which ran from 2012 to 2018. Her other notable credits included Ice Princess, Scream 4 and Scream VI.
After Nashville ended, Panettiere took several years away from onscreen acting before returning in Scream VI in 2023. She subsequently appeared in further film projects, including Sleepwalker, and contributed voice work to the video game Until Dawn.
In May, she published her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she discussed addiction, trauma and difficult periods in her personal life.
Hollywood Pays Tribute to Late Actress
Following news of Panettiere's death on 16 August, tributes came from former co-stars, friends and fellow performers.
Nashville co-star Connie Britton and Heroes cast members were among those remembering her. Viola Davis, Bethany Joy Lenz, Kelly Osbourne and others also shared tributes.
Solange Knowles, who worked with Panettiere on Bring It On: All or Nothing, also honoured their time together. Other stars, including David Arquette and Selma Blair, joined the public tributes.
Panettiere's former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she shared daughter Kaya, also paid tribute. He asked for privacy for their family while remembering the actress's life and career.
