Actress Hayden Panettiere’s brother Jansen, who is also an actor, has been found dead in his home. He was only 28.
According to TMZ, the police in New York were called to his home on Sunday evening and found the young actor dead. At this time, officials do not suspect any foul play.
His cause of death is not yet known, according to CNN, and the family is asking for privacy in the wake of the startling news.
Jansen, who is five years younger than his more famous sibling, has been a featured cast member in a series of Disney and Nickelodeon movies, has done voice over work, and has appeared in series including Major Crimes, and The Walking Dead.
He started as a child actor in the early 2000s in sitcoms including Even Stevens and Hope & Faith.
He went on to do voice over work and appeared as Periwinkle in Blue’s Clues in 2004 and later voiced the Shovelmouth Boy in Ice Age: The Meltdown in 2006.
Jansen’s most recent role was as Robin in the 2022 film Love and Love Not.
The young actor was also an avid painter who shared his art on his Instagram account
In a 2019 post to Medium, Jansen wrote, “I paint my problems. It gives me a sense of ultimate purpose.”
A growing list of young actors have died in recent years, most by overdosing on fentanyl.
Just in Dec., it was announced</a. that 18-year-old 9-1-1: Lone Star cast member Tyler Sanders died from the effects of the drug.
Only a week ago, NYPD Blue child actor Austin Majors also died of suspected fentanyl abuse. He was only 27. And child actor Logan Williams who died in 2020 of a drug overdose.
Several others have also been ruled as fentanyl overdoses, including actors Michael K. Williams, rapper Mac Miller, rock legend Tom Petty also died of the dangerous drug.
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