Hayden Panettieres video game co-stars paid eerie tribute to her character before her death as voice actor who replaced her posts emotional tribute

The timing is haunting.Just one day before Hayden Panettiere’s death at age 36, two of her “Kingdom Hearts” co-stars reunited onstage for the first time to perform an emotional scene involving her beloved character, Kairi.Haley Joel Osment, who voices Sora, and David Gallagher, the voice of Riku, appeared together Saturday at the “Deep Dive into Kingdom Hearts” panel at D23 in Anaheim, California.The pair performed the game’s iconic “Realm of Darkness” ending sequence, a scene they had never performed live together and had not recorded together in the same voice booth.The performance took on an eerie significance Sunday, when Panettiere’s family confirmed that the actress had passed away.During the D23 panel, Osment and Gallagher read Kairi’s words from the scene as footage from the game played behind them, per Parade.“Thinking of you, wherever you are,” Osment began.“We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend,” he continued.

“Now I will step forward to realize this wish.”The scene goes on to describe a new journey and the shared connection between the game’s many worlds.“There are many worlds, but they share the same sky — one sky, one destiny,” Osment said.Gallagher then delivered Riku’s lines as the characters reunite, eventually reaching out his hand to Osment.“We’ll go together,” Osment said.“Riku takes his hand,” Gallagher added as he extended his hand toward Osment.The two actors clasped hands before embracing as the audience erupted in applause.The clip, posted to YouTube, quickly became particularly poignant following news of Panettiere’s tragic passing.Panettiere first voiced Kairi in the original “Kingdom Hearts” game in 2002.

She reprised the role in “Kingdom Hearts II” in 2005 and later returned for “Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep”.Kairi is one of the series’ seven Princesses of Heart and is closely connected to Sora and Riku throughout the franchise.The char...