Hayden Panettiere co-star Charles Esten reveals 'strange co-incidence' days before her death
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Nashville' alum Charles Esten, who worked alongside the late actress Hayden Panettiere, has paid an emotional tribute to her following her passing.
In his social media share that included a carousel of photos featuring Panettiere, the 60-year-old actor also spoke about a “strange co-incidence” involving a location in Greenville, South Carolina, just days before her death.
Charles Esten says he was in Greenville two days before Hayden Panettiere died
Esten, who played Deacon Claybourne on the ABC drama, revealed that he and his wife Patty Hanson were at the same location in Greenville, South Carolina, on Friday, August 14, for one of his shows. Panettiere died two days later on Sunday.
“Patty and I were not only in Greenville, SC this past Friday night for one of my shows, we were actually in Judson Mills, itself (where the venue is located),” he wrote in the comment section of his Instagram post honoring Panettiere.
The musician further stated that “alongside the horrific news of her passing, we have both been stunned to hear in news reports that Hayden had apparently arrived there at the same Judson Mills (the loft apartments, not the venue) the very next day.”
Charles Esten reflects on the strange coincidence involving Hayden Panettiere
“By then, (Saturday) our tour bus had taken us through the night to Wilmington, where we were setting up for my next show, oblivious to all that was to come,” he shared.
Esten then expressed his shock over the “strange coincidence” while also wishing that he could have met the former child star for the last time.
“I just wish that it had actually put us there together at the same time. And that we somehow could have bumped into her. And got to hug her, and laugh in amazement with her. And tell her how much we love her again,” he added.
Charles Esten recalls meeting Hayden Panettiere during 'Nashville' audition
In his tribute, Esten also asserted how the sudden passing of the 'Heroes' actress has left him and his wife “stunned and saddened.”
He then went on to describe his first meeting with Panettiere, which happened during his first audition for 'Nashville'.
“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 explained.
Esten further disclosed that he had bumped into Panettiere, who “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!!’"
Eventually, he and the late actress became really good friends as the former described her as “extraordinarily talented, infusing her larger-than-life character with all the heart, charisma, humor, whip-smart intelligence, and flat-out magic her larger-than-life character with all the heart, charisma, humor, whip-smart intelligence, and flat-out magic.”
