<p id=”par-1_16″>Connie Britton is mourning her <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/hayden-panettiere-prayed-reconciliation-estranged-mom-called-entitled.html/”><em>Nashville </em>co-star Hayden Panettiere</a>, who died August 16 at age 36. </p>
<p id=”par-2_18″>On Monday, Britton took to <a href=”https://www.instagram.com/p/DcJy3irlhcA/?hl=en&img_index=5″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Instagram</a> to share a photo of herself and Panettiere in the ABC/CMT drama. </p>
<p id=”par-3_13″>“This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright,” she captioned the post. </p>
<p id=”par-4_20″>“I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak,” the actor continued. “I love you girl. Sleep easy now.”</p>
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<iframe title=”NASHVILLE on CMT | Official Trailer feat. Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/0ZduL3mLKi0?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p id=”par-5_27″>On <em>Nashville, </em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/filming-nashville-battling-addiction-forced-hayden-panettiere-live-twice.html/”>Panettiere played Juliette Barnes</a>, an up-and-coming young country singer. Britton played Rayna Jaymes, an older, more established country star who is threatened by Juliette’s rise. </p>
<p id=”par-6_18″>In 2025, Panettiere reflected on working with Britton on <em>Nashville, </em>calling her older co-star “amazing” and “so supportive.” </p>
<p id=”par-7_43″><em>Nashville </em>was originally envisioned as a solo vehicle for Britton but was reimagined once producers saw the dynamic between Rayna and Juliette in the show’s pilot. The switch felt a little awkward at first, Panettiere said, but Britton swiftly adapted to the change. </p>
<p id=”par-8_41″>“It was difficult to play that sometimes, that competitiveness, where we were in opposition and against each other,” she told <a href=”https://ew.com/hayden-panettiere-apologized-connie-bricton-after-nashville-first-scene-exclusive-11808483?_gl=1*iqwxzh*_ga*MTAzMjgxOTE3MC4xNzYzNDI4ODMx*_ga_DK3GDWHWJH*czE3ODcwMjA0ODgkbzgyJGcwJHQxNzg3MDIwNDkzJGo1NSRsMCRoMA..” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Entertainment Weekly</a>. “And it’s not what we thought it was going to be, so it was very difficult to step in.” </p>
<p id=”par-9_39″>“Connie is just a class act,” Panettiere added. “She is so smart and so wise, and just being able to be on screen with her, I was honored. I think we kept each other grounded throughout the whole thing.”</p>
<p id=”par-10_11″><em>For more news and exclusive interviews, follow </em><a href=”https://www.instagram.com/showbizcheatsheet/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”><em>Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Instagram</em></a><em>. </em></p>