Pakistan, Aug. 17 -- American actress Hayden Panettiere, known for major roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died at 36, with her family describing her as a remarkable presence.

Panettiere's father, Alan "Skip" Panettiere, announced the news in a statement, remembering her as a source of love and joy for her family and millions of viewers worldwide.

The former child actor gained early recognition as the voice of Dot in Pixar's 1998 animated film A Bug's Life. Her performance on the film's read-along album later earned a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album for Children.

She became widely known after playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in NBC's hit series Heroes, which premiered in 2006. She also appeared in Remember the Titans, al...