Following Connie Britton’s heartfelt tribute to Hayden Panettiere, who died Sunday at the age of 36, fellow Nashville alum Charles Esten also remembered his former co-star.
Esten was a late cast addition to the Nashville pilot and the last series regular to be announced in March 2012 on the country music drama about fading Nashville superstar Rayna James (Britton) who is forced to team up with teen sensation Juliette Barnes (Panettiere).
In his Instagram post Monday next to a gallery of photos with Panettiere from the show, Esten recounted his first audition for the role of guitarist and songwriter Deacon Claybourne in a soundstage office in Hollywood.
“I had read two Deacon scenes before pulling out my guitar and singing two songs. I said my goodbyes and, hoping I’d done well, went to open the door to leave. Instead of swinging all the way out, the door bumped into somebody. Kinda hard,” he wrote. “To my complete surprise, It was Hayden Panettiere, who – in full Juliette Barnes mode – had been listening with her ear to the door. Instead of looking even a little bit caught, her face instantly bloomed into the most beautiful smile. Eyes twinkling, she clapped her hands and said, ‘That was so good!!’ I can promise you that in that moment, there was nothing in the world I needed to hear more than that.”
That was the first time Esten met Panettiere who also was auditioning.
“It was her turn to go in, so as I went to leave, I said a jokingly cocky, “See you on the set!’,” he recalled.
Panettiere landed the role of Juliette weeks before Esten was cast after many rounds of testing.
When he showed up in Nashville, where the series was filmed, to start work, Panettiere “walked right up to me, pointed in my face, and with that magical grin said, ‘See you on the set!’,” Esten wrote. “From there, we became fast friends, working very hard to play those 2 troubled Nashvillians, but always having fun and laughing a whole lot along the way.”
As they butted heads at the start of Nashville, Rayna and Juliette also fought over Deacon. Rayna’s longtime guitarist, who had always been in love with her, accepted Juliette’s offer to co-write songs together and later joined her on tour. (In an unfortunate plot development, the two also hooked up in the third episode, something Nashville fans prefer to forget.)
“She was, of course, extraordinarily talented, infusing her larger-than-life character with all the heart, charisma, humor, whip-smart intelligence, and flat-out magic that were, alongside whatever troubles and pain she carried, a part of her own personal palette,” Esten wrote about Panettiere. “What a great gift it was to act with her, sing with her, and to just be her friend.”
On the show, both Deacon and Juliette struggled with alcoholism, something Panettiere had said hit too hold to home for her as it mirrored her real-life addition problems.
Esten also recalled Panettiere being “extremely kind” to his wife Patty.
“Together, we are heartbroken that she is gone, and praying for her family, and for all those who, like us, will miss and mourn her so dearly,” he wrote. “God bless you, Hayden. Rest In Peace and Light ❤️”
Earlier on Monday, Britton posted her own remembrance on IG, which also featured a series of photos from the set of Nashville.
“I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak,” she wrote. “I love you girl. Sleep easy now. 💔”
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