Connie Britton gets candid about 'incredibly generous' Hayden Panettiere

Connie Britton was “blown away” by Hayden Panettiere’s talent.

The late actress and Connie starred in the TV series, Nashville which ran from 2012 to 2018.

Now, speaking with People Magazine, Connie recalled how Hayden's memorial brought Nashville castmates together to remember her. However, it was held a month after the former child star’s death on September 19, at Malibu, Calif.

“Grief is grief, and every time I have to grieve something, I feel like I have to make space for it in a different way,” Connie shared with the outlet.

She went on to say, “It felt like grieving is finding solace and connection within your community of people who still remain.”

Noting, “[The memorial] was such a specific experience that we all had together, making that show and being with Hayden.”

As the memorial marked Nashville star’s first gathering after a longtime apart, the former co-star revealed, “Most of us hadn’t seen each other in several years.”

“I felt really fortunate that we were able to come together, and it felt like we were able to, in our own Nashville way, send her off,” she added.

Speaking about Hayden's extraordinary talent and powerful presence, Connie revealed, “We did get to see Hayden in this amazing light, and we did get to experience her voice.”

“I was always blown away by her talent, but on our show, her voice, man. You could see her soul [through] her voice,” she continued, “She just has this exquisite vessel.”

Connie further shared how Hayden supported her when she moved to Tennessee during Nashville shooting, “I really was looking for my village when I moved there with my tiny baby, and I needed help.”

“Whenever she was there, it just felt like sweetness,” she continued, “She was incredibly generous to everybody.”

It is pertinent to mention here that Hayden Panettiere died on August 16, 2026, in Greenville South Carolina, at the age of 36.