‘Nashville’ choreographer remembers Hayden Panettiere as ‘remarkable’ talent

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) - Hayden Panettiere’s former choreographer and “Nashville” colleague is remembering the actor’s “remarkable” talent following her death in Greenville.

Carrafa said Panettiere dove headfirst into the work, even when she was outside her comfort zone.

“A lot of actors need to sort of build up and find the moment to work into their emotions. And it just felt like Hayden had this immediate access to anything at any time in her work,” Carrafa said.

Choreography was outside Panettiere’s primary skill set, but Carrafa said she approached it like any other part of the job.

“As a choreographer, it’s always daunting for actors who aren’t dancers first to throw themselves into it. But she just approached it like work. For her, it was just like part of the job. And so, I never had to change anything or make anything special for her,” Carrafa said.

Acting alongside Panettiere

Carrafa typically worked behind the scenes with Panettiere but also acted alongside her, playing a choreographer on the show.

“In that episode, I kind of had to be chastising her character for not rehearsing enough or driving her. And as I was doing that with her, it felt like she was so affected by what I was saying. Then after we stopped, I said, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’ She’s like, ‘No, I was acting.’

“But it felt so real in being in that sort of moment with her when she was playing a character. I’ve worked with Meryl Streep also. And there’s this kind of remarkable thing that happens where the line between acting and reality, you can’t see it,” Carrafa said.

Humor behind the scenes

Carrafa said Panettiere’s sense of humor was an important part of who she was behind the scenes.

“I don’t feel like I’ve heard a lot about how funny she was in some of this press since she died. She had this personal magnetic power. She’s a bigger-than-life kind of person, and I feel like she used her sense of humor to kind of puncture that at times with people,” Carrafa said.

As the star of the show, Panettiere was often the center of attention, but Carrafa said she used humor to deflect it.

“You’re the center of attention a lot. She was great at sort of deflecting that and making it fun,” Carrafa said.

A family on set

Carrafa said the cast of “Nashville” was like a family and has been checking in with one another since Panettiere’s death.

“It’s just that feeling of, ‘Wait, so I can’t talk to her anymore, or I can’t text her?’ It’s just this kind of empty space that gets created,” Carrafa said.

He also said Panettiere was trusting of his direction as a choreographer, which he described as disarming.

“You wouldn’t think a star or somebody in their position would be that trusting in a way. And I think that trust is almost disarming for me. It’s like, ‘Oh, wow, it’s up to me, you know?’” Carrafa said.

Carrafa said Panettiere’s death is a reminder of the fragility of life.

“It just reminds us of how short life is and how precious life is. And to not take for granted that the people you love are always going to be there,” Carrafa said.

Hopes for how she is remembered

Carrafa said he hopes Panettiere is remembered for her work and who she was, rather than the circumstances of her death.

“It would be nice if how she passed away doesn’t define her legacy, that the work she did and who she was as a person is really what people end up remembering,” Carrafa said.