Jansen Panettiere, Younger Brother of Hayden Panettiere, Dead at 28
Actor Jansen Panettiere, who is the younger brother of Hayden Panettiere, has died. He was 28 years old.
TMZ was first to report the news, stating that a "family source" confirmed that Panettiere died in New York on Sunday evening (Feb. 19). First responders were reportedly called to a residence at approximately 5:30 PM.
No cause of death was immediately available, nor is the case being investigated as foul play.
Five years younger than his actor sister, who starred in the country music drama Nashville, Panettiere, began his film and television acting career in the early 2000s with roles in Even Stevens, Blues Clues and more. He and his older sister occasionally acted in the same projects, including the Disney Channel original movie Tiger Cruise in 2004 and American sports comedy Racing Stripes in 2005.
Panettiere's more recent projects include roles in The Walking Dead and How High 2, both in 2019. When not working, he shared his graffiti-inspired art on Instagram with his followers, using a portion of the proceeds to benefit Ukraine and its citizens amid the ongoing war in the country. Hayden Panettiere has also worked to raise funds for Ukraine in recent months, and she's got a personal tie to the country, as she shares a 7-year-old daughter with Ukrainian former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
TMZ reports that Panettiere was attached to five new projects when he died. The Panettiere family has not yet offered an official statement on Jansen's death.
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