Solange Knowles has paid a heartbreaking tribute to her Bring It On: All Or Nothing co-star Hayden Panettiere. Solange, the sister of Beyonce Knowles, rarely posts on social media but took to Instagram to honor Hayden, who died by an apparent overdose aged 36 at her home in Greenville, South Carolina on Sunday August 16, 2026.
"Rest in peace Hayden. In peace, because you are so deserving of it,' wrote Solange alongside a picture of them together in the 2006 movie.
"We had so many parallels in our lives, and the world watched u so courageously live in your radical truth telling your story. We watched your endless quest for vulnerability, and healing."
© Solange KnowlesShe continued: "I salute your journey and I honour the work we created together that became something that really means something to people… reaching people we couldn’t have ever imagined at the time, as two young girls, trying to keep looking to the light."
"The light surrounds you now. Rest easy Hayden," she concluded.
The two appeared in the third instalment in the Bring It On series of films that revolved around high school cheerleading, playing the characters Camille and Britney.
© WireImagePolice said the actress, who had struggled with addiction and her mental health for many years, was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest at her home by a friend, and there were "no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances."
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office have officially stated that the cause of death remains undetermined pending autopsy and toxicology reports.
© Getty ImagesFrancia Raisa, who played Leti in the movie also paid tribute to Hayden, posting on Instagram: "I’ve been stuck since last night. I can’t believe this. Rest well my Bring It On sis."
Gustavo Carr, who played Hayden's love interest Jess in the film, shared a photo of them together at the time and wrote: "You are a light, Hayden. A muse. An artist. An old soul, wise beyond your years. The kind of person people loved to work with and felt lucky to know.
“I hope you knew you were seen and loved. So much life lived, and still far too soon. I wish there had been one more hug. Rest peacefully, Hayden. Sending all my love to your daughter, your family, and everyone who loved you."
© InstagramHayden's representative told HELLO! of her death in a short statement that read: "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. An investigation is ongoing and cause of death has not yet been determined."
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress or just needs someone to talk to, support is available. In the US, you can call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org for free, confidential help 24/7.
© ABC via Getty ImagesHer career began as a child star on the soap opera One Life to Live, and followed into the show Guiding Light and then the hit Pixar movie A Bug's Life in 1998, when she was just eight-years-old.
She is best known for playing Claire Bennett in the superhero show Heroes and Juliette Barnes in the musical drama Nashville, plus film projects like Ice Princess (2005), and the Scream film series.
Off-screen, Hayden was mom to 11-year-old daughter Kaya whom she welcomed with her ex-fiance, former heavyweight boxing champion, Wladimir Klitschko.
© ABC via Getty ImagesHayden had published her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, only months before her passing, where she spoke candidly about mental health, motherhood, and her journey toward recovery.
In a 2023 episode of Red Table Talk, she said that her first interaction with drugs came when she was 16 and from "somebody who was on my team."
She then battled drug and alcohol addiction for years and suffered from postpartum depression following the 2014 birth of her daughter Kaya. In 2018, she gave up full custody of Kaya.
