Who is Randall Slavin? Hayden Panettiere last Instagram post reflected on “good times” with photographer friend

Ryan D'souza Mon, August 17, 2026 at 8:56 AM UTC

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Who is Randall Slavin? Hayden Panettiere last Instagram post reflected on “good times” with photographer friend ©Getty: Neutrogena Fresh Faces of Music Benefiting VH1 Save The Music

Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has passed away at thirty-six years old, as per a report shared by TMZ. Sources with direct knowledge told the outlet that Panettiere passed away on Sunday. The Remember the Titans actress had shared what would become her final Instagram post prior to her death, a black-and-white photo of herself alongside photographer and director Randall Slavin. She captioned it simply,

"Good times and good friends @randallslavin ✨"

The July 27 post captured Panettiere winking at the camera while Slavin, fifty-six years old, wrapped his arm around her. As per TMZ, Panettiere and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson had flown from Los Angeles to the south on Saturday. Randall Slavin, who has amassed more than sixty thousand followers on Instagram, describes himself on the platform as a director, podcaster and photographer.

As per his IMDb profile, Slavin originally pursued acting before a job at a gas station led him to an assistant position at a nearby photo studio, a situation which eventually pulled him away from acting entirely and into a successful career photographing celebrities and fashion. He is especially noted for his work with Charlize Theron.

Randall Slavin pays tribute to Hayden Panettiere on Instagram as family mourns:

Hayden Panettiere speaks on the red carpet at Jony And Marc's (RED) Auction at Sotheby's on November 23, 2013 in New York City - Source: Getty

A representative for Panettiere confirmed her passing in a statement shared with Us Weekly.

"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," shared the representative.

Details surrounding her death were not immediately available. Panettiere is survived by her eleven-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with ex Wladimir Klitschko.

Randall Slavin responded to the news late on Sunday night, resharing Panettiere's final Instagram post via his own Stories. He set it to the sound of Olivia Dean's Dive, captioning it simply,

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"Peace be with you, H,"

As per a report shared by ABC News, Panettiere's father, Skip, asked for privacy on behalf of the family,

"as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."

Hayden Panettiere opened up about being given non-prescribed pills at sixteen and the struggles that followed:

Hayden Panettiere attends the world premiere of Paramount's "Scream VI" at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on March 06, 2023 in New York City - Source: Getty

Hayden Panettiere had made multiple headlines back in May of this year with a detailed interview with Us Weekly. The actress had signed with Wilhelmina Models at just eight months old and booked her first commercial at eleven months. Pushed by her mother Lesley, she excelled as a child actor. Rapid success and pressure shaped her into a teenage people pleaser who found herself less than pleased with the headlines she read about herself.

"It really started when I was 16 years old. People creating stories that were false about me," she explained.

"There have been a lot of preconceived ideas, and I've always tried to be open and honest. I felt like there was a big target on my back and all that mattered was what would make the biggest headlines and shock people the most," she added.

Hayden Panettiere revealed her life's most private moments in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which she published earlier this year. She went in-depth for the first time about her painful breakups from Heroes costar Milo Ventimiglia and former world champion boxer Wladimir Klitschko, to whom she was once engaged. At sixteen, while doing press for Heroes, a representative supplied her with non-prescribed pills from Mexico.

"I trusted her wholeheartedly," she said.

"I never in a million years thought to protect myself or question it," added Panettiere.

As per the detailed interview shared by Us Weekly, as Hayden Panettiere's fame soared, she turned to alcohol to medicate undiagnosed postpartum depression. Two rehab stints followed, a situation which led Klitschko, to demand she relinquish custody of their daughter Kaya and leave her in Europe. Broken and vulnerable, Panettiere was then romantically charmed by Brian Hickerson, who subjected her to years of physical and emotional abuse. His violence generated more negative headlines and police visits, and Panettiere eventually entered rehab a third time.

Hayden Panettiere recalled nobody warning her about postpartum depression and shared advice for those supporting loved ones through it:

In the same Us Weekly interview, Panettiere was asked whether anyone had warned her about postpartum depression.

"Nope, I had never heard anybody talk about it. That's why it took such a long time for me to put the pieces together. My mom didn't experience it. I never had a single friend that mentioned it. There was just so much stigma around it that they weren't willing to talk about it or address it," she shared.

When asked what advice she had for those supporting loved ones through postpartum, she replied,

"They could have believed me sooner. No one would choose to go through this much pain especially when you've just had a baby. The best thing you can do is to be as supportive and understanding as possible."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”