Connie Britton Is 'So Happy' for “Nashville ”Costar Hayden Panettiere as She's 'Come Out on the Other Side' (Exclusive)
"I only wish her just peace in her heart," Britton tells PEOPLE, adding that she "can't wait to see" Panettiere's new film 'Amber Alert'
Connie Britton has so much love for her former Nashville costar Hayden Panettiere.
In a conversation with PEOPLE surrounding her new supernatural drama-thriller Here After, Britton says that while she hasn't talked to Panettiere "in a while," she "really applaud(s) how she has gone through a really difficult time and done a lot of work and has come out on the other side."
"And so I only wish her just peace in her heart, and I can't wait to see the movie," she continues of Panettiere's upcoming thriller Amber Alert, costarring Tyler James Williams.
Adds Britton, 57, "I'm so happy that she is in that place, and I hope she's in a great place."
After early roles on series Heroes and Nashville and in films like Scream IV, Panettiere has enjoyed a more recent career resurgence, appearing in Scream VI last year and, later this month, in a starring role in Amber Alert.
The 35-year-old actress is also planning to give readers "an unprecedented glimpse into her storied life and acclaimed career" in a forthcoming memoir tentatively titled Scream and Break Free: Addiction, Trauma, and How the Cheerleader Saved Herself, PEOPLE confirmed in April. The book will see Panettiere open up about her career, alcoholism, addiction and more.
“It’s both daunting and exciting to be able to share my story in book form," she told PEOPLE at the time of her book, currently scheduled for release by Grand Central Publishing in early 2026.
"You may laugh a little, cry a little, but most importantly, you’ll hopefully finish it feeling inspired. I’ve grown so much from my experiences," Panettiere continued. "I hope that this opportunity to further elaborate on that journey may provide a little comfort for those who have faced similar challenges. I’m truly grateful for every lesson, and for the woman I have become today.”
Britton, meanwhile, continues to wade into the waters of the thriller genre with Here After, a Paramount Pictures film directed by Robert Salerno, written by Sarah Conradt and costarring Giovanni Cirfiera and Freya Hannan-Mills.
She plays a mother named Claire, who "is overjoyed when her daughter Robin (Hannan-Mills) is miraculously revived after a fatal accident," according to an official synopsis. "But her relief turns to dread as Claire notices changes in her daughter, suspecting something dark has followed her back from the brink of death."
"It's really human and moving, and it's a psychological exploration that feels extremely universal and something we can all relate to," Britton tells PEOPLE. "When I read the script, that was what really jumped out at me."
She goes on to say that if Here After "was just a more straightforward thriller, I'm not sure that I would've been as drawn to it, because what I like about this is that it's based in this kind of emotional progression and evolution of all of these characters."
"And that's the part to me that's interesting as an actor, but also as an audience member. That's the movie that I want to see," Britton adds.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Here After is in select theaters and on digital Sept. 13.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.