Aimee Walker
Jansen Panettiere, the younger brother of actress Hayden Panettiere, has tragically died aged 28.
Panettiere is best known for starring in Ice Age: The Meltdown, as well as a recurring role in Nickelodeon’s The X’s.
He’s also had cameos in The Walking Dead and Major Crimes.
The actor worked alongside his sister Hayden, 33, in 2004’s Tiger Cruise and 2005’s Racing Stripes.
At the time of his passing, he was reportedly working on five more projects.
Watch Hayden Panettiere recall hitting ‘rock bottom’ in the clip below…
Panettiere’s untimely death was first reported by TMZ.
A family source tells the outlet that the 28-year-old passed away in his apartment in New York over the weekend.
TMZ also report that there is no foul play suspected in his death.
His cause of death is unknown at the time of writing.
According to a biography on Panettiere’s website, the actor-turned-artist had experienced ‘terrible anxiety and depression’ as an adult while living in Los Angeles.
It goes on to say he found ‘spiritual clarity’ through his art.
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While a source tells the Daily Mail: “He had been having a rough time lately with his career and he was dragged in so many directions.
“Hayden is just inconsolable. He was her best friend and her only brother. He was such a nice guy but he lived on the edge.”
Many of Panettiere’s fans have taken to his Instagram and paid tribute on his final post, which happens to be a piece of artwork that was ‘one of his personal favourites’.
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One follower pens: “Rest in peace. You were a great man and an incredible artist.”
Another person adds: “RIP. God bless your family.”
While a third fan writes: “Rest in peace… your work was beautiful, may you continue painting in peace up there.”
“RIP Brother,” somebody else comments. “I hope you are at peace wherever you are.”
The news of Jansen’s passing will come after a series of tragedies for Hayden Panettiere.
Last year, the Nashville star spoke out about the heartbreak she’s experienced after losing her daughter, Kaya, in a custody battle due to her substance abuse issues.
In a 2022 interview with People magazine, the actress revealed she spiralled out of control when battling postpartum depression following the birth of Kaya in 2014.
She admitted: “As I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn’t live without.”
In the end, Hayden was forced to make the ‘heartbreaking’ decision of letting her daughter move away with her father, Wladimir Klitschko, to Ukraine.
“I would have the shakes when I woke up and could only function with sipping alcohol,” she confessed.
“[Sending Kaya away] was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But I wanted to be a good mom to her – and sometimes that means letting them go.”
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