Hayden Panettiere Hints At ‘Nashville’ Return As Series Finds New Life On Netflix

Years after captivating audiences as Juliette Barnes on the hit ABC series Nashville, Hayden Panettiere is reflecting on the show’s legacy and reveals if she’d return for a reboot now that it’s finding a whole new generation of fans on Netflix.

The series chronicling the drama within Music City premiered on ABC on October 10, 2012, and ran for six seasons. In 2018, it moved to CMT, where its final episodes aired, wrapping up with the series finale on July 26 after a total of 124 episodes. All six seasons are now available for streaming on Netflix, offering longtime fans the chance to relive the storylines and new fans to discover it.

“People really, really loved that show,” Panettiere told Glamour. “They loved the human stories, the fact that it gives you kind of a peek into this Hollywood life. It was a show that resonated with so many people, and I love hearing about how my character impacted people in general, but especially women and young women going through the tumultuous stuff that Juliet constantly had to deal with.”

The now 36-year-old began her role on the show in her early 20s and remained until the very last episode aired. By then, she was 28 years old. Panettiere said it means a lot to know how many people loved the show and have remained loyal over the years. With its resurgence on Netflix, she expressed her hope that it reaches just as many fans and even admits she might revisit it herself alongside viewers.

“I’ve heard from a lot of fans who are bummed the show didn’t even go longer. We had six great years, but people really, really loved that show…I feel like it definitely resonated with people. So I get a lot of love from that. I would love for Nashville to eventually come back.”

When asked if she would ever be open to appearing in a reboot of the show, the actress confidently stated “absolutely.”

“I’m not sure what I would want it to look like. I’d have to sit with that question for a second, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” she said. “I’ve been on shows where the first season was amazing and then the second season really wasn’t up to snuff. I feel like Nashville stayed very steady throughout the entire six years, and the storylines just continued to get juicier and juicier. They never ran out of material.”

Panettiere goes on to say that throughout her time on the show, her character Juliette Barnes endured a lot of experiences similar to her real life. So if she were to reprise her role, she expects that Barnes’ life would never have a dull moment. Along with the acting, she claims that it would be “really fun” to get to explore the music aspect of the show again too.

“I mean, it was a dream job in that way. I got to do more than acting. I need to explore my love for music and specifically country music. So yeah, fingers crossed. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

She also credits country music’s widespread popularity as a reason Nashville continues to capture audiences. Panettiere recognizes that just like genre, the depth of the show’s storytelling and its emotional resonance is a huge draw to fans.

“I think it’s the biggest genre of music in the world, and it goes back to people. The fans are incredibly loyal. They’re ride or die for entire careers,” she shared. “Another thing I love about country music is that it tells stories. Most of the songs have these incredible stories behind them, and they go for the heart. There’s a song for every mood that you’re in. It’s an incredible genre of music with very loyal fans.”

Nashville isn’t the only on-screen role that has given Panettiere such a successful career. She first appeared on camera at 11 months old and continued to work consistently with various projects and films including the Bring It On film series, Scream, The Forger and more.

After Nashville wrapped in 2018, she took the time for her first real break. Panettiere is now set to return to acting in addition to producing on the upcoming psychological thriller film Sleepwalker.

“It was the first time in years that I felt my confidence had completely come back,” she says of the movie.

Moving forward, she shared her goals of one day directing various genres of films and is preparing for the release of her new memoir titled Scream And Break Free: Addiction, Trauma, and How the Cheerleader Saved Herself. The book, which is expected to cover topics including her battle with addiction, postpartum depression, and trauma, as well as moments from her career, is set to be published in 2026.

“I think people will be really surprised when they read all about my life and maybe the picture they painted of me in their heads is not quite accurate. I’m really excited about it. I’m also, of course, terrified. It’s my whole life on a silver platter, but I’m happy about it and I pray that it’s going to help a lot of people,” she shared of the project.