Nancy Naylor, who helped cast Hayden Panettiere as Kirby Reed in 2011’s “Scream 4,” described the late actress as a talented performer and a beautiful soul following her death Sunday at age 36. Naylor recalled bringing Panettiere into the franchise after recognizing her as a strong counterpart to co-star Emma Roberts, telling reporters the two actresses brought contrasting energy that made their pairing work on screen.
Naylor singled out Kirby’s tense phone confrontation with the killer Ghostface as the moment that convinced her Panettiere could carry the role, saying the actress delivered the intensity and heartbreak the scene demanded. Panettiere returned to the character twelve years later in “Scream VI” after a sustained fan campaign, extending a part that became one of the horror franchise’s most requested comebacks. Naylor called Panettiere’s return exciting and said watching her continue that journey made the news of her death especially painful.
The tribute joined a growing wave of remembrances from castmates across Panettiere’s decades-long career. “Scream” co-stars David Arquette and Melissa Barrera both posted messages honoring her on social media, while “Nashville” co-star Connie Britton described her as someone who shone brightly even in grief. “Heroes” co-star Sendhil Ramamurthy wrote at length about meeting Panettiere during his final screen test for the series, recalling her as a young performer already showing signs of the talent she would later display.
Panettiere’s path to Hollywood began as a child actor in projects including “Remember the Titans” before she landed her breakout role on “Heroes” and later starred as Juliette Barnes on “Nashville,” a performance that earned two Golden Globe nominations.
She spent much of the past year discussing her personal struggles publicly, including a memoir released in May that detailed her experiences with addiction and postpartum depression. Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, where she was found unresponsive Sunday, have said the investigation into her death remains active, with no signs of foul play identified so far.
