Hayden Panettiere and Michelle Trachtenberg defined an era for a generation of young moviegoers.
The former child stars famously shared the screen in Disney’s 2005 hit Ice Princess, playing unlikely best friends and competitive figure skaters Casey Carlyle and Gen Harwood.
Twenty years later, their legacies are forever locked in tragedy after both died at the age of thirty, just eighteen months apart.
Panettiere died on Sunday, August 16, in Greenville, South Carolina, at the age of 36. Narcan was found in the apartment where she died, it was reported, after the Heroes actress suffered an apparent overdose.
Her sudden death comes 18 months after Trachtenberg died last February at the age of 39. It was later confirmed that her cause of death was due to complications from diabetes mellitus.
Following their tragic deaths, The Daily Mail takes a look at the bond and parallel lives of the former child stars.
Hayden Panettiere died on Sunday at the age of 36, just 18 months after her Ice Princess colleague Michelle Trachtenberg died at the age of 39. Above the two actresses in 2011
The former child stars famously shared the screen in Disney’s 2005 hit Ice Princess, playing unlikely best friends and competitive figure skaters Casey Carlyle and Gen Harwood.
Panettiere and Trachtenberg were already established child stars when they joined forces in Ice Princess.
Directed by Tim Fywell, the coming-of-age sports drama centers on high school student Casey, played by Trachtenberg, who discovers a hidden passion for figure skating while researching a physics project.
Panettiere played the role of Gen, the daughter of local rink manager Tina Harwood, played by Kim Cattrall.
Tina initially wants to sabotage the newcomer to help her own daughter. But the rivals eventually forge a bond, with Gen helping Casey find her confidence.
Following news of Panettiere’s death, her on-screen mother Cattrall took to her Instagram to share a photo of them together, writing, “Rest in peace dear Hayden.” Gone way too soon.’
Trachtenberg previously spoke about Casey and Gen’s friendship in a 2006 interview with Disney movie surfers.
“Gen is a star skater and Casey admires her for her technique and skill. [They] Throughout the film, Gen develops a friendship, and Gen helps Casey realize that she really is a great skater.”
In a 2019 In an interview, Panettiere said she did most of her own skating in the film.
Although Casey (Trachtenberg) and Gen (Panettiere) start out as competitors, they eventually build an unlikely bond, with Gen helping Casey boost her self-confidence.
Trachtenberg spoke about Casey and Gen’s friendship in a 2006 interview: “Gen is the star skater and Casey admires her for her technique and skill.” Above, Panettiere in a still life
‘[They] Throughout the film, Gen develops a friendship, and Gen helps Casey realize that she really is a great skater.” Above, Trachtenberg pictured with on-screen mother Kim Cattrall
The pair photographed the film’s promotion in 2005. From L-R: Trevor Blumas, Trachtenberg, Joan Cusack and Panettiere
In 2011, six years after making Ice Princess, Panettiere and Trachtenberg were reunited at a charity fashion event in New York City, where they posed together on the red carpet.
Following news of Panettiere’s death, her mother Cattrall shared a photo of them together on her Instagram, writing, “Rest in peace dear Hayden.” Gone way too soon
‘I taught myself a scratch spin, which are the very fast blurry spins. There’s one at the end of the performance in the film I do and they actually show it. It’s me and I’m so excited!’
“But I learned most of my tricks, except for the triples, for which I had a brilliant double,” Panettiere continued. ‘The strangest thing about it was that she turned around and jumped to the left, and I did it to the right. So I had to learn everything again and do it all on the left side, which hurt a bit at the back.’
When asked if she was more like her own character or Trachtenberg’s, she replied, “You know, I think I’m somewhere in the middle.” I’m more of a laid back girl than Gen. She is definitely a girly girl, very interested in her appearance.”
‘I’m not saying I’m not, but I definitely love sweatpants and my comfy clothes – my Uggs and my pajamas. But I like school and I’m pretty good at it. I get A’s. I also like science. I like science and I can do math relatively [well].’
Of working with Cattrall, she said, “She’s such a sweet person and she’s really good in this movie. She and I share the same birthday, so it was exciting. Me and Kim have the same birthday, and Joan does [Cusack] and Michelle have the same birthday. Crazy!’
The film grossed $25.7 million during its theatrical run, with both Panettiere and Trachtenberg coming to define 2000s teen cinema and youth pop culture.
In 2011, six years after making Ice Princess, Panettiere and Trachtenberg were reunited at a charity fashion event in New York City.
They attended the star-studded unveiling of Stuart Weitzman’s Young Hollywood Cares Collection, a charity shoe line co-created by young stars to benefit ovarian cancer research.
Blake Lively shared a montage of clips from the film, writing, “Be. Friendly. You never know what others are going through. Thank you to both women for all the joy you brought’
A fan on
Another fan wrote: ‘Now they are both together’
The tributes continued to pour in on X, with one fan writing: “My sweet young girls”
“Two beautiful souls, two faces we watched growing up, and memories that will live on forever through the characters they brought to life,” another fan on X added
‘I hope my ice princesses finally hang out again’
‘Hayden Panettiere is now in heaven skating next to Michelle Trachtenberg. rest in peace, beautiful angels’
“Both Michelle Trachtenberg and Hayden Panettiere are gone… this hurts so much,” wrote another
The former co-stars both beamed as they posed together on the red carpet.
Both actresses launched their careers as child stars, with Trachtenberg starring in Harriet the Spy and Panettiere gaining worldwide fame in Remember the Titans alongside Denzel Washington.
They later cemented their status as TV icons in major shows, with Trachtenberg starring in Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Panettiere in Heroes and Nashville.
Tributes have been paid to both co-stars following Panettiere’s death.
One fan on I’m so sad, I can’t believe this, my ice princesses are both gone.’
Actress Blake Lively also shared a montage of clips from the film on her Instagram Stories, writing, “Be. Friendly. You never know what others are going through. Thanks to both women for all the fun you brought.”
Another fan wrote, “Now they’re both together.”
“Two beautiful souls, two faces we watched growing up, and memories that will live on forever through the characters they brought to life. Some moments from our childhood become so much more emotional when you realize how precious those moments really were. Rest in peace.’
“My sweet young girls,” someone else added.
‘Hayden Panettiere is now in heaven skating next to Michelle Trachtenberg. rest in peace, beautiful angels.’
Panettiere died Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina. Narcan was found in the apartment where she died, after the actress suffered an apparent overdose; In the photo in 2022
It comes 18 months after Trachtenberg died last February at the age of 39. It was later confirmed that her cause of death was due to complications from diabetes mellitus; She is pictured in 2023
“Both Michelle Trachtenberg and Hayden Panettiere are gone… this hurts so much,” wrote another.
On Monday, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said Panettiere’s autopsy was completed and no signs of trauma were found on the star’s body.
Further investigations will now take place to determine her cause of death, with Deputy Chief Coroner Shelton England telling the Daily Mail it was too early to discuss the drug overdose theory.
It is still unclear whether the Narcan found in the apartment where she died was used to revive Panettiere, although 911 audio obtained earlier on Monday showed the actress had gone into cardiac arrest after a suspected overdose.
Meanwhile, Rosie O’Donnell claimed last month that Trachtenberg was battling drug and alcohol addiction before her shock death at the age of 39 in February 2025.
Trachtenberg was found dead by her mother in her New York City apartment near Columbus Circle, police sources told ABC News at the time.
It was further reported that the actress had recently undergone a liver transplant after battling alcohol issues and ‘possibly experiencing complications’. It was later confirmed that her cause of death was due to complications from diabetes mellitus.
