Jonathan Jackson Remembers Hayden Panettiere as ‘Like Our Own Sister’
The Nashville actor shares a deeply personal farewell to Hayden Panettiere, recalling a friendship that went far beyond the screen.
Jonathan Jackson has remembered his former Nashville co-star Hayden Panettiere with a deeply personal tribute following her death at 36, describing her as someone he and his family loved “like our own sister.”
Panettiere died on Sunday, August 16, in Greenville, South Carolina. Three days later, on Wednesday, August 19, Jackson shared a collection of photographs from their years together on Nashville, along with a message reflecting on the friendship they built away from the cameras.
Jackson played Avery Buckley on the series, while Panettiere starred as country-pop singer Juliette Barnes. Their characters’ relationship became one of the show’s central storylines, moving through romance, conflict, parenthood and eventually marriage.
Off screen, however, their connection was quieter and far more personal.
Jackson Remembers Panettiere as a Close Friend and ‘Sensitive Soul’
In his tribute, Jackson described Panettiere as bright, funny, sensitive and deeply compassionate. He also remembered how naturally she worked as an actress, calling her focused, spontaneous and gifted. For Jackson, though, the bond between them was built on more than acting.
Both had grown up in the entertainment industry.
Jackson began working as a child actor, while Panettiere had also spent much of her childhood in front of cameras. That shared experience gave them an understanding that did not always need to be explained.
There was, as Jackson put it, a kind of recognition between them about how difficult life in the industry could become.
That understanding eventually turned into trust.
And for Jackson, trust mattered. He wrote that it was one of the most important things between friends and co-workers, and something the two of them had developed while working together. His wife, Lisa, also became close to Panettiere. Jackson said they both loved her deeply and saw her as part of their family.
In one of the most emotional parts of his message, he said his hope during the years they worked together was that Panettiere would know how loved she was and find the peace she had been searching for.
Panettiere Had Also Written About Their Friendship
The closeness Jackson described was something Panettiere had spoken about herself.
In her 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, she looked back on her time working in Nashville and wrote openly about feeling somewhat isolated from many of the people around her.
Jackson was the exception.
Panettiere recalled that he would invite her to the Franklin, Tennessee, home he shared with his wife and children. On nights when she did not want to make the long drive home, she would sometimes stay in their guest room.
What stayed with her was not anything glamorous. It was the simplicity of it. A warm place to sleep. Dinner with people she trusted. A friend who made room for her.
She wrote that, apart from Jackson, she had not become particularly close to anyone else on the set. She found that difficult to understand at the time, especially because so many of them were starting over in a new city together.
Her own account now gives Jackson’s tribute an added weight. Their friendship was not simply something being remembered after her death. It was a relationship Panettiere had clearly valued while she was alive.
Their ‘Nashville’ Story Became One of the Show’s Most Memorable
Panettiere’s role as Juliette Barnes became one of the defining performances of her career. Juliette was ambitious, complicated and often vulnerable beneath the confidence she showed to the outside world. Across the series, her story explored fame, family, relationships and personal struggles.
Jackson’s Avery Buckley became an important part of that journey. The two characters shared years of emotionally demanding storylines, which meant Jackson and Panettiere often had to rely heavily on one another as performers.
That professional trust eventually became a genuine friendship.
Jackson remembered Panettiere as someone who could be fully present in a scene, bringing energy and unpredictability to the work. But his tribute made clear that what he valued most was the person behind the performance.
He said there were no words that could properly express the shock and grief surrounding her death.
His message ended with prayers for Panettiere and her family, along with a promise that she would remain in their hearts.
Panettiere’s Death Remains Under Investigation
Panettiere died in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16. An autopsy was later completed. Officials said there were no signs of trauma that appeared to have contributed to her death.
Her body was released to her family on August 18. The exact cause and manner of death have not yet been determined, and the investigation remains ongoing. Further testing is expected before officials make a final finding.
For now, no official cause of death has been announced.
Panettiere was 36.
Over the years, audiences knew her through roles such as Claire Bennet in Heroes, Juliette Barnes in Nashville and her appearances in the Scream films.
Jackson’s tribute, though, was not really about the career milestones. It was about the person he knew when the cameras stopped rolling.
Someone who came to his home, spent time with his family and became part of their lives. The relationship viewers saw between Avery and Juliette belonged to television. The friendship behind it was real.
And that, more than anything, is what Jackson chose to remember.
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A bi-coastal pop culture critic and former indie screenwriter, Gia covers Hollywood, streaming wars, and subculture shifts with razor wit and Gen Z intuition. If it’s going viral, she already knew about it.
