Born and raised in New York, Hayden Panettiere has spent more than 25 years in front of the camera. As she steps into 2026, however, she’s busier, more intentional and more creatively fulfilled than ever. “I have my work cut out for me this year, but I’m very excited,” the 36-year-old says of her already packed schedule. “They say an idle mind is the devil’s playground, so we keep on keeping on.”
That momentum is fueled in part by Sleepwalker, the psychological thriller from Appian Way and Verdi Productions, out January 9 in theaters and streaming platforms, which Panettiere both toplines and produces. The film marks a bold new chapter for the actress, who first captured audiences as Claire Bennet on Heroes, earned two Golden Globe nominations for Nashville and recently returned to the Scream franchise. But it also reflects a deeper evolution—one that extends beyond acting.
Alongside her film work, Panettiere has been immersed in writing a memoir for the past year and a half. “I can’t say too much about it just now, but I will say it’s been an incredibly cathartic and therapeutic experience,” she says. “There’s nothing that is easy about sharing your stories with the entire world to judge, but I really hope that this book will inspire people and hopefully make people feel less alone in their own struggles. That’s my ultimate wish.”
The process itself was a learning curve. “It’s definitely not something I was used to,” she admits. “I had help from a trained team of people who were amazing sources of information and guided me through the process.” Putting her life on the page meant wrestling with structure. “It was interesting trying to put my life in chronological order and tell my stories from beginning to end. The memories of my life don’t always flow very well.” Eventually, something clicked: “But when the stories started flowing, they just came one after another.”
Having started acting at just four years old, Panettiere has long been skilled at navigating emotional intensity—and stepping away from it. “Growing up, we had to go to school on set as well,” she explains. “You get 20 minutes in between a scene where maybe somebody passed away or something intense happened, and then you’re rolling right into 20 minutes of algebra.” That early training stuck. “Practicing getting your mind in and out of that…it’s something that I’ve actually always been really good at.” Still, she notes, “As I’ve gotten older, I also find myself investing more and more into my job and going deeper with the characters that I play, which can definitely suck you in.”
When she needs to quiet her mind, Panettiere turns to reading. “Usually, when I want to get out of my mind, I enjoy and have found it really helpful to focus on one thing,” she says. “I love fantasy and sci-fi. It takes me out of our world and lets me exist and create another in my mind. It focuses me. It’s like meditation for me.”
That sense of intention extends into her beauty routine. “I’m a huge Oribe fan,” she says, also naming Glow Recipe and Moon Juice among her favorites. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also become much more preoccupied with inner health.” And some staples are forever. “Years later, I still use Neutrogena wipes religiously! What can I say, they are really good.”
All of that self-awareness feeds into Sleepwalker, a dark, emotionally layered project that pushed Panettiere creatively and personally. “It’s a psychological thriller that is about this mother who loses her daughter in a tragic car accident,” she explains. “Throughout the film, we watch her descend into darkness as she battles between what is reality and what’s this nightmare world.” Filmed in just 15 days, the experience was transformative. “Not just getting to act, but getting to be on the production side—that was really exciting.”
Working alongside an ensemble cast and first-time live-action director Brandon Auman, Panettiere felt deeply connected to the project. “It was a great project to be involved with, inspiring and really fun,” she says. With Sleepwalker arriving this January, Panettiere is working from a place of clarity—choosing projects that feel intentional, challenging and fully hers.
