In August 2026, the world lost one of Hollywood's brightest stars — Hayden Panettiere. The actress passed away at the age of 36, leaving behind not only a rich creative legacy but also touching stories of her kindness and care for animals. One such story is her friendship with Tony the gorilla from the Kyiv Zoo, which has now become part of his history.

An Unexpected Meeting in 2014

Hayden Panettiere first visited the Kyiv Zoo in 2014. It was then that she met Tony the gorilla, who became a special friend to her. As noted by the zoo, a special bond immediately formed between the actress and the animal. "To millions, she will remain a famous actress. For KyivZoo — a person who genuinely loved our Tony and became part of his story," emphasized the zoo staff.

Support and Care

After their first meeting, Hayden never forgot about the gorilla. Every time she returned to Kyiv, the actress visited Tony and inquired about his life. Moreover, Panettiere helped create new living conditions for the animal. Already in the autumn of 2014, with her support, Tony received new winter quarters, and in the spring of 2015 — summer ones. This became an important step in improving the quality of the gorilla's life.

Archival Photo and Memory

In honor of Hayden Panettiere's memory, the Kyiv Zoo published an archival photo taken during her first visit in 2014. In the photo, the actress is meeting Tony. "This photo captures one of those meetings. Simple, warm, and genuine. It is exactly like this that we want to preserve this story in our memory. Her kindness will remain with us — in Tony's fate and in the history of KyivZoo," the zoo wrote in their post.

Contradictory Data

There are some contradictions regarding the dates and details of the friendship story between Hayden Panettiere and Tony the gorilla. Some sources indicate that the actress visited the zoo in 2013, not 2014. There are also discrepancies regarding exactly when the new quarters for Tony were created. However, most sources agree that Hayden did provide significant support to the gorilla and left a deep mark on his life.

Remembering Hayden Panettiere

After Hayden Panettiere's death, many Hollywood stars and public figures shared their memories of her. Among them were Masaki Oku, Bryan Fuller, Kelly Osbourne, and others. The actress's former fiancé, Vladimir Klitschko, also reacted to the tragedy, recalling their relationship and their daughter, Kay-Evdokia. The story of Hayden's friendship with Tony the gorilla became yet another example of her kindness and care for the world around her.