Celebrity Death

Victor Willis died of liver cancer ... according to his widow, who announced his cause of death on social media.

Karen Willis, revealed the Village People singer died of primary liver cancer with metastasis.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Victor's widow wrote ... "Primary liver cancer runs in Victor's family as his mother also died of primary liver cancer, and so has several other relatives."

Karen was also the one to break the news of his passing back in June, writing at the time that he'd died after "a short but aggressive illness."

Hayden Panettiere's shocking death has put a target on Neutrogena's back ... and it's getting ugly for the skincare brand that cut ties with her years ago, allegedly over her postpartum comments.

Here's the deal ... Hayden was the face of Neutrogena for several years -- but that all came to a screeching halt after she talked about her postpartum depression back in 2015 while a guest on "Live! with Kelly and Michael."

The company allegedly wanted to boot her then and there after she walked off stage -- but Hayden said her agent saved her job in the moment.

Still, once her contract expired, she was cut loose ... and her fans haven't forgotten ... or forgiven.

Hayden Panettiere was afraid she'd get blowback from "dangerous" former friends when she released her memoir ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Hayden tell TMZ ... she'd told people close to her she was nervous about publicly releasing details of her tortured past.

We're told the actress was specifically concerned about publicizing the time a friend allegedly tried to set up a sex session with a naked male singer on a yacht when she was only 18.

Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother were at the scene when the actress was found dead Sunday, according to police.

A police report obtained by TMZ says Brian and Zach Hickerson were inside the South Carolina apartment complex when she went into cardiac arrest.

Zach was reportedly "very emotional" while emergency medical services professionals were "working on Hayden."

As for Brian ... the report, as cited by NBC, says he didn't become visibly emotional until she was declared dead at the scene ... and he showed cops a bag of medication Hayden was taking at the time of her death.

Hayden Panettiere's ex-fiancé and father of her daughter has spoken out following her tragic death ... sharing a heartfelt tribute that promises their child will always remember her.

Wladimir Klitschko shared the touching tribute on Instagram early Tuesday ... posting a throwback selfie with Hayden and their now 11-year-old daughter, Kaya. He wrote this is "a time of profound shock and grief" for their family and called Hayden "an important part" of his life.

He celebrated her success while also highlighting the downside of her fame, penning ... "She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives."

Speaking directly to Kaya, he added ... "I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was."

Bill Rasmussen -- the founder of ESPN -- has died at 93 years old from the effects of Parkinson's disease, the network announced Tuesday.

Rasmussen was credited with creating the first 24-hour television network when he launched the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network with his son, Scott, in 1979 ... which would change the medium forever.

Rasmussen was the network's inaugural president and CEO ... and was able to form relationships with sports leagues, investors and cable operators to set the network up for years to come.

Solange Knowles is saying goodbye to her late 'Bring It On' costar with an emotional farewell to Hayden Panettiere ... remembering Hayden for courageously living her "radical truth."

Solange says Hayden was on an endless quest for vulnerability and healing ... and she laments the way Hayden finally found the peace she deserved.

The two actresses starred in "Bring It On: All or Nothing" -- the third film in the popular cheerleading franchise.

The murder trial for alleged Tupac Shakur killer Duane "Keffe D" Davis saw its grueling second day ... and it was wild after yesterday's opening arguments, which were 30 years in the making.

As TMZ reported ... Keefe is accused of planning the murder of the legendary rapper and allegedly produced the gun used to kill Tupac ... though prosecutors say he wasn't the trigger man that fateful night.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend Brian Hickerson completely vanished from Instagram in the wake of her death ... and it's unclear who pulled the plug.

Brian's profile was still active when Hayden's death was first reported Sunday ... but it has since disappeared. Anyone trying to visit the account is now met with an error message.

It's unclear whether Brian scrubbed or deleted the account himself -- or if Instagram removed it.

Brian's IG account previously boasted 2.8K followers.

Hayden Panettiere was "struggling" and "really lonely" on what turned out to be the final movie she ever filmed ... so says her "Sleepwalker" costar, Justin Chatwin.

Justin opened up about their connection while speaking to People ... saying they grew close while filming in 2025 because she was so real with him. He explained, "[Actors are] trained to be on, and I really liked spending time with her because she took that off, and she was authentic with me about her life and she opened up about her struggles with addiction."

The Canadian actor originally met Hayden while she was starring on "Heroes" in the mid-2000s, and then reconnected for "Sleepwalker," a psychological thriller about domestic abuse -- something Hayden had been through.

Justin told People he "could tell she was struggling," adding ... "I was like, 'I don't think it's this movie' ... There's a handful of women that I've worked with that I really liked, and I really loved working with her, but I also know that she was really lonely."

Hayden Panettiere's family has been notified by a South Carolina coroner's office that her remains are ready for release -- after the actress died of a possible drug overdose, TMZ has learned.

A rep for the Greenville County Coroner's Office tells TMZ ... they have advised Hayden's parents that her body is ready to be turned over to them.

But the rep says the family has yet to choose a funeral home ... so, for now, Hayden will stay with the coroner's office.

Hayden Panettiere's costar in the hit musical drama "Nashville" Charles Esten shared a loving tribute after her shocking death ... remembering he smacked her with a door during their first meeting.

The actor took to Instagram Monday to share series of photos taken during their time working on the TV show from 2012 to 2018 ... all shots of them flashing huge smiles.

He started off his caption by writing he and his wife -- Patty Hanson -- were shocked to learn of Hayden's death ... before he launched into the story of how they met.

Hayden Panettiere packed a lot into her 36 years before her sudden and tragic death ... and TMZ is taking you back through all of her notable moments ... both good and bad.

Hayden is born in Palisades, New York -- a town just 25 miles from New York City -- to actress Lesley R. Vogel and NYC fire captain Alan Lee Panettiere. She is the first of the couple's two children.

Hayden begins her acting career early ... earning her first role in a commercial for a Playskool toy train in 1990, less than a year after her birth.

8/21/2026 11:41 AM PT -- Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend Brian Hickerson gave her Narcan after he and his brother Zach Hickerson found her unconscious ... according to a statement by Zach.

Hayden Panettiere, or someone close to her, was treated with meds typically used for overdose victims ... TMZ has learned.

We've confirmed, through sources in Greenville, SC, that Narcan was found in the apartment where she died. Narcan is administered nasally to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, and we're told the device used to dispense it was found on a mattress.

We know first responders on the scene mentioned an "overdose" and CPR efforts while reporting back to dispatch.

However, we also know 2 ambulances rushed to the apartment, which seems to point to 2 people in distress in the apartment ... so, it's unclear who received the dose of Narcan.

Hayden Panettiere was found dead by a friend inside a South Carolina home ... and Emergency Medical Service workers responded to a call about a person in "cardiac arrest" and an "unresponsive female," TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... Hayden's friend called 911 at 1:51 PM Sunday to report that the actress was unresponsive and in cardiac arrest inside the residence in Greenville, SC.

TMZ obtained the dispatch audio of responders sending medics to her location to perform CPR on someone who overdosed, which you can hear above. Page Six was first to report.

It's unclear if Hayden's on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson placed the call.

We're told Greenville police officers and EMS workers quickly responded, and paramedics attempted to resuscitate Hayden using "advanced cardiac life support." Our sources say this treatment builds on CPR by adding special medicines, breathing tubes, and heart rhythm tracking.

8/21/2026 11:41 AM PT -- Hayden Panettiere's boyfriend Brian Hickerson gave her Narcan after he and his brother Zach Hickerson found her unconscious on the day that she died ... according to a statement by Zach.

8/20/2026 11:41 AM PT -- Brian Hickerson is breaking his silence days after the death of Hayden Panettiere.

8/17/2026 6:32 AM PT -- TMZ has obtained photos of the emergency response that showed up at the scene.

8/17/2026 3:45 AM PT -- Hayden Panettiere was found dead by a friend inside a South Carolina home ... Emergency Medical Service workers responded to a call that came in of a person in "cardiac arrest" and an "unresponsive female," TMZ has learned.

8:33 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources confirm police responded to an incident involving Hayden Sunday, and there is currently an open investigation.

8:20 PM PT -- A source close to Hayden tells TMZ ... she recently had been complaining about back pain in the past year.

Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," has died at 36, TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Hayden passed away earlier on Sunday. We're told she and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson flew from Los Angeles to the south on Saturday. Sources tell us Brian's family is aware.

"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. 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," her rep said in a statement to ABC News.

Hayden became a household name as a child actress before landing her breakout role as cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC's "Heroes." She later starred as country singer Juliette Barnes on "Nashville," earning multiple award nominations for her performance.