Hayden Panettiere is to be remembered at a private celebration of life in Malibu on Saturday, with about 150 family members, friends and former colleagues expected to attend, according to reports.
The service for the Heroes and Nashville actress is expected to take place at a church, with her father, Skip Panettiere, among those due to be present. Several figures from the entertainment industry are also expected to attend.
Family sources said Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, and her former partner Brian Hickerson were not invited. Hickerson’s brother, Zach, is also reportedly excluded from the gathering.
The choice of Malibu was said to reflect Panettiere’s love of the ocean and whales. The memorial is intended to celebrate her life and career, rather than focus on the personal difficulties she experienced.
Hayden Panettiere memorial follows death at 36
Panettiere died on 16 August at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, aged 36. Police and emergency medical personnel were called after she was found unresponsive, but attempts to revive her were unsuccessful.
A report released by Greenville police said Hickerson and his brother were at the property when officers arrived. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy found no signs of trauma, while the initial investigation revealed no indication of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Her cause and manner of death remain officially undetermined pending further toxicology and other testing. Reports suggesting that she may have taken an oxycodone pill containing fentanyl have not been confirmed by authorities.
Panettiere’s representative previously said: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”
The actress rose to fame as Claire Bennet in Heroes before playing country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville, where she performed many of her character’s songs. Her film credits included Remember the Titans, I Love You, Beth Cooper, Scream 4 and Scream VI.
She was also a three-time Golden Globe nominee and winner of three Teen Choice Awards. In a memoir published in May, Panettiere wrote about her struggles with alcohol addiction and depression, as well as the custody arrangements involving her daughter, who lives in Ukraine with her father, former heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
Klitschko paid tribute to Panettiere on what would have been her 37th birthday, saying that her life and the love she brought to others would continue to be remembered.
