Jonathan Jackson says he and his wife loved Hayden Panettiere "like our own sister".
The Nashville actor, who worked with the late star on six seasons of the hit music drama, has hailed her as "an absolute joy to work with", and someone he and his wife Elisa Jackson, formerly known as Lisa Vultaggio, "cherished" having in their lives.
He wrote on Instagram: "Elisa and I both love and cherish her deeply, like our own sister. She holds that place in our hearts.
"My prayer for her every day we worked together was that she would know how loved she is, and that she would find the peace that she was looking for.
"It’s not possible to express the shock and grief that so many of us feel right now. Our humble prayers are with her family.
"May God’s angels carry you to your place of rest and true peace. We love you Hayden. You will always be in our hearts. Always."
Hayden died on Sunday (16.08.26) aged 36, and Jonathan admitted he has "no words to express the loss" he's feeling.
He wrote: "She had such a bright light within her. She was a sensitive soul. Incredibly funny and witty. Amazingly gifted, with a great sense of empathy and compassion."
Jonathan noted how they "both grew up" in the TV and film world, despite starting at different ages.
He added: "We both grew up in the industry, although she started even younger than me, but we shared that.
"A silent knowing of how intense the struggles can be. She was an absolute joy to work with. Focused, spontaneous and brilliant. The most important thing between friends and coworkers is trust, and we had this."
Earlier this year, Hayden recalled spending some quality time with Jonathan, who played singer-songwriter Avery Barkley in Nashville, and his family.
Writing in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, she said: "He lived with his wife, Lisa, and their kids about twenty miles south of Nashville in Franklin — a town that's home to dozens of country music stars —and they sometimes invited me over for dinner.
"Not wanting to make the long drive home, I often crashed in their guest room, grateful for a warm bed and a good friend who'd offered it to me."
