After TMZ initially reported Hayden Panettiere's cause of death, it has been officially revealed in new reports that surfaced after the Nashville actress died on Aug. 16.

Variety confirmed that her death, which was officially ruled an accident, was “caused by the toxic effects of fentanyl, Xanax, and other drugs.”

“The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol and Quetiapine,” the coroner’s official statement said.

The statement added that there were “no signs of trauma” that might have contributed to her passing, thus it being ruled an accident.

Hayden Panettiere's tragic death in August

Actress Hayden Panettiere who died on Aug. 16, 2026.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.

Panettiere died on Aug. 16 after flying to South Carolina from California. Her boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, gave first responders a bag of her prescription medications after they arrived on the scene.

Before her death, Panettiere was best known for her roles in TV shows Heroes and Nashville. She led Heroes as Claire Bennett for over 70 episodes from 2006 to 2010. She then played Juliette Barnes in Nashville for six seasons from 2012 to 2018. However, she started acting long before those roles in commercials as a child.

Her first notable roles were in soap operas like One Life to Live and Guiding Light. She also gave a Grammy-nominated performance in the read-along edition of A Bug's Life.

During her career, Panettiere acted in several high-profile movies. Her most memorable credits include Remember the Titans, I Love You, Beth Cooper, and The Architect.

She also appeared in the Scream franchise, playing Kirby Reed. Her first appearance in the iconic horror franchise was in 2011's Scream IV. She would return to the series over a decade later in 2023's Scream VI.

Her last role was in Sleepwalker. Panettiere starred in and executive produced the horror movie, which was released on Jan. 9, 2026.