Hayden Panettiere Defended Mistreated Background Actors on Heroes Set

Hayden Panettiere “stuck up for background actors when they were mistreated” on the “Heroes” set and “knew every crew member’s name,” her co-star Sendhil Ramamurthy lovingly remembered in a social media tribute to the late actor. Panettiere died on Aug. 16 at the age of 36. “Heroes” marked one of her most prolific TV series. She starred in four seasons of the NBC series as Claire Bennett, a high school cheerleader with the power of rapid cellular regeneration.

Ramamurthy, who played Mohinder Suresh on “Heroes,” wrote on Instagram that he first met Panettiere “at the final screen test,” where he was “so nervous” and “sweating through” his shirt.

“I went straight to the bathroom to compose myself and then went to sign in, expecting to find a bunch of fellow nervous-as-hell actors. Instead I found Hayden belting show tunes in the waiting room,” he remembered. “Not a nerve in sight. I had to leave immediately. I spent the rest of the time in the hallway sweating. Hayden was already a pro. I was nearly twice her age and she had 3x as much experience.”

The duo was ultimately cast in the show, which originally ran on NBC for four seasons from 2006 to 2010 before being revived as a miniseries in 2015 (the two stars did not return). “Heroes” was a breakthrough sensation for NBC during its first season and Panettiere’s Claire was its breakout character (“save the cheerleader, save the world”)

“I learned a lot from her. She stuck up for background actors when they were mistreated, knew every crew member’s name, and was so generous with her time,” Ramamurthy wrote, also remembering a time after the Golden Globes when the “Heroes” cast had a press day and he wasn’t feeling well. “Hayden kept going on and on at me about drinking fluids and made sure I had plenty of Gatorade. That’s how I will remember her: a kind, joyful, professional, shittalker, who even at a young age, understood the importance of hydration. You will be missed.”

Many of Panettiere’s co-stars have posted emotional tributes to her on social media in the days since her death. ABC’s “Nashville” was another one of the late actor’s TV hits. Her co-star Connie Britton shared behind-the-scenes photos from their time working together.

“This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright,” Britton posted on social media. “I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now.”

Panettiere’s death is currently under investigation, but there were “not any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances,” according to police.