'Kingdom Hearts' Star Breaks Down In Tears Over Co-Star Hayden Panettiere's Death In Heart-Wrenching Video

Hayden Panettiere’s death is weighing heavily on Alyson Stoner, who tearfully remembered the actor.

Panettiere died at age 36 after being found unresponsive on August 16 in Greenville, South Carolina. Authorities responded to a 911 call involving an apparent “overdose” and “cardiac arrest,” though police found no signs of foul play. Her death remains under investigation.

Her father, Skip Panettiere, later confirmed his daughter’s death in a heartbreaking statement:

“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.”

Stoner joined the mourners Monday with a tearful tribute. Both grew up in entertainment and later connected through Kingdom Hearts, where they voiced Kairi.

Stoner, who uses they/them pronouns, shared a touching caption alongside the video: “From one Kairi to another… One sky, one destiny.”

They then addressed Panettiere’s loved ones:

“My deepest condolences to Hayden’s family, community, and the many lives Hayden reached. May you rest in freedom, Hayden.”

Stoner also sent love to the Kingdom Hearts community mourning Panettiere. They had also worked with Panettiere’s late brother, Jansen, through the franchise.

Visibly emotional and choking back tears, Stoner asked viewers for grace:

“Hey, this is very raw. It’s very messy; please give me some grace... And from one Kairi to another, I just wanted to acknowledge the tremendous loss, not only for the Kingdom Hearts family but, of course, for all of the close loved ones and millions of lives that Hayden reached.”

For those who don’t know, Kairi is one of the central characters in Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts franchise and a childhood friend of protagonist Sora. A Princess of Heart whose heart holds pure light, she later trains to become a Keyblade wielder.

Panettiere originated Kairi’s English voice in 2002’s Kingdom Hearts and reprised the role in later titles, including Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. Stoner took over the role in December 2008 with Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories, continuing as Kairi in subsequent installments while also voicing Xion in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.

Stoner ended with love for those grieving Panettiere:

“Sending so much love to Hayden’s family, and 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 in this loss.”

Stoner signed off with one final plea, asking fans to “take care of yourselves and take care of each other.”

You can watch the full post below:

Stoner has previously opened up about their own difficult experiences growing up in the entertainment industry, including in their memoir, Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything.

The former child star has detailed struggling with eating disorders, exhaustion, and the loss of normal childhood experiences while working from a young age, including leaving traditional school around age nine. They have also spoken about losing their privacy, dealing with stalkers, and facing unsafe conditions while working in the industry.

The tribute left fans emotional, with Stoner’s “from one Kairi to another” message hitting especially hard. Many shared their grief over Panettiere’s death and reflected on the impact of her portrayal of Kairi on the Kingdom Hearts community.

The emotional reactions continued across social media:

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@kendalltoole/Instagram

@seed.and.sew/Instagram

@imanidarian/Instagram

@the_beloved.dave/Instagram

There was another emotional Kingdom Hearts connection surrounding Panettiere’s death. Just one day before her passing, two of her longtime co-stars reunited onstage and performed a scene centered on Kairi—words that would take on a heartbreaking new meaning less than 24 hours later.

Haley Joel Osment, who voices Sora, and David Gallagher, the voice of Riku, reunited Saturday during the “Deep Dive into Kingdom Hearts” panel at D23 in Anaheim, California. For the first time together onstage, the pair performed the game’s iconic “Realm of Darkness” ending sequence, which they originally recorded together in the same voice booth.

Watch the poignant moment below:

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The scene speaks of a new journey and the connections that endure across the game’s many worlds. Following Panettiere’s death, its message carries new weight for Stoner and the Kingdom Hearts community now mourning one of their own.