His last name is pronounced "Pan-Uh-Tee-Air-Ee"; the Italian translation is "Baker". His parents are both of half Italian descent (his father's father and his mother's mother were both the children of Italian immigrants). Jansen's other roots include German and English.
Was a black belt in the Israeli martial art of krav-maga ("survival").
Like his actress-sister Hayden Panettiere, Jansen had a fondness for music and gymnastics as well as acting; he played guitar, and could do a mean standing back-flip.
Dabbled in fashion; he had his own brand, "r.a.n.e.38". His actress-sister Hayden wore a colorful custom bomber-jacket, which Jansen himself designed, to his funeral.