Actor Charles Esten shared a tribute to his former Nashville co-star Hayden Panettiere following her death at age 36.

Actor Charles Esten, who starred alongside Hayden Panettiere on the ABC drama Nashville, has shared a tribute following her death on Sunday at age 36. In an Instagram post, Esten and his wife, Patty Hanson, expressed that they were heartbroken by the loss of their friend. Esten recounted their first meeting during his audition for the series, noting that Panettiere had been listening to his performance from outside the room.

Recalling Their First Meeting

Esten described how he accidentally bumped into Panettiere with a door while leaving his audition. He recalled that she had been listening to him perform with her ear to the door and immediately offered him encouragement, telling him his audition was "so good." Esten noted that he was already a fan of her work from her time on the show Heroes, and the two exchanged the phrase "See you on the set!" before he began his role as Deacon Claybourne.

Reflecting on Her Legacy

Esten described Panettiere as an extraordinarily talented person who brought charisma and intelligence to her role as Juliette Barnes. Artist Kalie Shorr, who helped lead the #TimesUp movement in Nashville, noted that Panettiere’s portrayal of Barnes helped confront industry truths. Shorr stated that the character held up a mirror to the city of Nashville and helped push the industry to become a safer environment for women.