Viola Davis recently honored the late Hayden Panettiere with a moving post on Instagram following her sudden death. The Viola Davis Honors The ‘Gifted’ Hayden Panettiere In Touching Tribute Following Sudden Death first appeared on The Blast

Hollywood is still grappling with the unexpected loss of one of the industry’s most beloved stars, Hayden Panettiere. The iconic actress, who began her career at age 1 and spent most of the ’90s in major roles, died at 36. The details of her passing are still unknown, but that’s not stopping her fans and other celebrities, like Viola Davis, from paying their respects.

Viola Davis Remembers The Life Of Hayden Panettiere With A Touching Tribute

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Davis, 61, praised Panettiere with a touching and heartwarming Instagram tribute, calling the 36-year-old an “amazing talent” and “so gifted.” She said that she and her husband, Julius, “loved” working with Panettiere, calling her “an old, wise soul with such a deep heart.”

Panettiere and Davis worked together in the 2016 film “Custody.” In the film, Davis plays a judge presiding over a case involving a mother who lost custody of her children. Panettiere played the mother’s lawyer.

David said in her tribute that she wished she had been able to spend more time with Panettiere over the last few years because she had a “burning curiosity about who you were becoming.”

She finished, “I saw this beautiful Phoenix rising from the ashes. Your tests became your testimony, and your testimony became your legacy. You will be remembered. Rest well, Hayden. Sending healing prayers to your family, your daughter, and all who loved you. May they always speak your name.”

Hayden Panettiere Dead At Age 36

A previous report from The Blast states that Panettiere died at age 36. A representative from her team spoke with the media late on August 16 to share the heartbreaking news.

“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,” they said.

Panettiere had a career spanning three decades, starring in some of the industry’s biggest productions, including “Remember the Titans,” “Bring It On,” “Nashville,” “Scream,” and many more.

Bethany Joy Lenz Remembers Hayden Panettiere

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In addition to Davis, “One Tree Hill” actress Bethany Joy Lenz also remembered Panettiere with a moving post. The pair worked together in the ’90s on “Guiding Light.”

Lenz said she was “crushed” by the devastating news, adding that she’s known Panettiere since she was 9 or 10.

“Her intelligence was astonishing,” Lenz shared. “She understood scenes and nuance and human struggle like no child I’d ever seen on camera.”

Like many others, Lenz said she was struggling to process the news of her death, adding, “I don’t understand how this is real.” She added, “Everything seemed to be turning around. She was coming BACK to life, wasn’t she? It’s too young and there’s still so much more life.”

Panettiere Was Found Unresponsive

The details surrounding Panettiere’s sudden passing haven’t been released yet; however, an official shared some information with PEOPLE.

At 1:50 PM on Sunday, August 16, South Carolina police and an EMS worker responded to a call about an “unresponsive female.”

Upon arrival, officials administered medical assistance; however, Panettiere was later announced dead at the scene.

The case is currently under investigation, and a spokesperson from the Greenville Police Department in South Carolina said there are no indications “of foul play or suspicious circumstances.”

Panettiere Lived A Hard Life

Months before her death, Panettiere released a memoir, “This is Me,” and spoke openly about her struggles not only with postpartum depression, but with addiction as well.

The actress detailed turning to alcohol after the birth of her only child, Kaya, in 2014, later causing her to enter a rehabilitation facility for treatment.

In her book, Panettiere also opened up about her estranged relationship with her mother, Lesley Vogel, who allegedly forced her into the world of acting as a child.

“I think it’s the way I was raised,” Panettiere said in a past interview. “I was groomed. I was like a little soldier and I always have been. No was never an option. It was just, ‘Here are your scenes, here’s your dialogue, memorize it, hit the marks, do what your director tells you to do.’ I took my marching orders.”

The Viola Davis Honors The ‘Gifted’ Hayden Panettiere In Touching Tribute Following Sudden Death first appeared on The Blast