Jack Coleman, who played Hayden Panettiere’s father on “Heroes,” shared an extended Instagram tribute to his late co-star Wednesday, describing her as an “extraordinary young woman who was blessed and cursed” four days after her death at 36. Coleman said he had been unable to find adequate words until now, and recalled meeting Panettiere on the pilot two decades ago, when she greeted him by shouting “daddy” and hugging him before adopting the nickname “daddio.”
Coleman, who portrayed Noah Bennet opposite Panettiere’s Claire across all four seasons of the NBC superhero drama, described her as a gifted performer capable of producing a tear on command, take after take. He called her a “tiny colossus” who filled the set with laughter and whose famous smile was genuine rather than performed for cameras.
The tribute turned pointed as Coleman recounted the scrutiny Panettiere faced as a young star, describing photographers who trailed her with long lenses and once hid in bushes behind his own property. He characterized the paparazzi as predatory and said no teenager should have faced that kind of pursuit, adding that reporters often asked her demeaning questions about when her life might unravel publicly. He wrote that he wished she had received the same protection she showed toward mistreated animals and a friend’s daughter who was being bullied.
Panettiere was found unresponsive Sunday at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina. Authorities have said an investigation into her death remains active, with toxicology results still pending. Coleman closed his post with a line borrowed from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” wishing her a peaceful rest.
Coleman joins a growing list of “Heroes” colleagues honoring Panettiere this week, including Sendhil Ramamurthy, who recalled her advocacy for background actors on set, and series creator Tim Kring, who praised her as a devoted ensemble player. “Heroes” ran on NBC from 2006 to 2010 and returned briefly for a 2015 miniseries, with Panettiere’s turn as a cheerleader with regenerative powers establishing her as one of the show’s breakout stars.
