'Kingdoms Hearts' mourns Kairi voice actress Hayden Panettiere

Popular video game franchise “Kingdom Hearts” has paid tribute to Hayden Panettiere, who voiced the character Kairi in the series.

On X, the official “Kingdom Hearts” account shared a statement mourning the actress.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Hayden Panettiere,” the statement read.

“Through her performance as Kairi, Hayden brought warmth, heart, and an unforgettable voice to the ‘Kingdom Hearts’ series,” it added.

Meanwhile, Alyson Stoner, who later took over the role of Kairi in the “Kingdom Hearts” series, also shared an emotional tribute to Hayden.

In a tearful video on Instagram, Alyson reflected on having worked with Hayden and her late brother, Jansen Panettiere, in the past.

“I just wanted to acknowledge the tremendous loss not only for the ‘Kingdom Hearts’ but, of course, all of [her] close loved ones and the millions of lives that Hayden reached,” she said.

“I’ll be thinking of Hayden and the legacy that she has left, and sending lots of love to the Kingdom Hearts community too, and how we’re sharing this loss,” she added.

Hayden’s death was confirmed by her representative through a statement sent to ABC News on August 17.

Aside from being a voice actress, she was best known for her roles in “Bring It On: All or Nothing,” “Heroes,” and “Nashville,” among others.

In May, she released a memoir titled “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” in which she came out as bisexual.

“I’ve chosen to be completely brutally honest about this, and that’s something about me that I was never able to share with the world, because it was just never the right time,” she said.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Hayden Panettiere.

Through her performance as Kairi, Hayden brought warmth, heart, and an unforgettable voice to the Kingdom Hearts series.

Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/clcjMdyWzO

— KINGDOM HEARTS (@KINGDOMHEARTS) August 17, 2026

—Hermes Joy Tunac/JCB, GMA News