Celebration of Life Service Planned for Actress Hayden Panettiere in Malibu

A memorial service for actress Hayden Panettiere will be held on Saturday at a church in Malibu, according to sources familiar with the arrangements. Approximately 150 attendees, including her father Skip Panettiere and several industry acquaintances, are expected to be present. The location was chosen because Panettiere had expressed a fondness for the ocean and marine life, making the coastal setting meaningful to her family.

The service is described as an intimate celebration of her life rather than a focus on the circumstances surrounding her death. Panettiere was found unresponsive in an Airbnb in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16. While the official cause of death has not been released, an autopsy reported no signs of trauma. Law-enforcement sources have indicated that investigators are examining the possibility that she ingested a black-market oxycodone pill contaminated with fentanyl.

Authorities have also searched her Los Angeles residence as part of an ongoing investigation into her prescription medication use. The investigation includes a review of communications between Panettiere and a person identified as a supplier of prescription pills.

"We are focusing on remembering Hayden's legacy and the joy she brought to those around her," a family spokesperson said.