In the early 2000s, she became well-known as a kid star.
However, Hayden Panettiere’s life has been anything but straightforward behind the scenes.
The 36-year-old actress has talked about her struggles with addiction, postpartum depression, and ending an abusive relationship.
She also disclosed her bisexuality on Wednesday, following years of feeling under pressure to conceal that aspect of herself.
The former Nashville star acknowledged that she tried to look “perfect” for a large portion of her life in order to evade criticism.
The Daily Mail examines the traumatic events and individual challenges that have influenced her path as she embarks on this new phase of her life.
As a kid star, Hayden Panettiere catapulted to popularity. Over the years, his life has been anything but straightforward (seen in 2022).
The 36-year-old actress was seen in Remember the Titans at age 11.
At eleven years old, Hayden was already well-known in the entertainment industry thanks to her performance in Remember the Titans.
The actress revealed to People that by the time she was fifteen, a member of her team started giving her “happy pills” to make her “peppy during interviews.”
She told the magazine, “I had no idea that this was inappropriate or what door that would open for me when it came to my addiction.”
“As I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn’t live without,” she revealed, adding that her addiction worsened while she was filming Nashville. By the time she was sixteen, she was regularly drinking and using opioids anytime she wasn’t on set filming for Heroes.
She started dating her Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia, who was 29 at the time, when she was 18.
According to a source, there was a “lifestyle conflict” that caused their brief romance to end.
In 2009, at the age of 19, she started dating 33-year-old professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
She started dating her Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia, who was 29 at the time, when she was 18 (seen in 2007).
She later dated retired heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she had an amicable breakup in 2018 following a nine-year intermittent romance (seen in 2013).
After dating intermittently for nine years, the couple were engaged in 2013 and welcomed a daughter named Kaya in 2014.
The actress disclosed the next year that she experienced postpartum depression after giving birth to her baby.
She stated, “It’s something a lot of women experience,” during an appearance on Live! with Kelly and Michael. “I feel negative feelings towards my child, I want to injure or hurt my child” is how you interpret postpartum depression when you hear about it.
Some women experience those emotions, but I have never experienced them. However, you are unaware of the wide range on which you can truly feel that.
It’s an issue that requires discussion. Women must understand that it does heal and that they are not alone.
Rumours that she and Wladimir had broken up started to circulate in 2016 when she was spotted in New York sans her engagement ring.
However, she quickly shut them down by sharing a picture of the couple with their daughter, who was 18 months old at the time.
She posted on Instagram, “Missing rings don’t mean the end of relationships.” “I am fortunate to be with my lovely family.”
Hayden’s mother told RadarOnline, “There are a lot of changes going on in her life. She needs to take a little bit of a break and make some decisions on her own of what she wants to do.” However, it was confirmed in August 2018 that the couple had broken up, even though they were still on good terms.
After Nashville’s production concluded, Hayden reached his lowest point during this period and made the decision to quit acting.
Despite her terrible addiction and depression, she signed away custody of her seven-year-old daughter, Kaya, and sent her to live with her father in Ukraine.
She apparently met Brian Hickerson through common friends after her engagement with Wladimir ended (seen together in 2019).
After being admitted to the hospital due to jaundice, Hayden’s physicians warned her that her “liver was going to give out.”
She ultimately decided to spend eight months in recovery.
She apparently met Brian Hickerson through mutual friends after her romance with Wladimir ended.
However, during a fight at the couple’s house in May 2019, Brian was taken into custody for domestic violence.
According to insiders who talked to TMZ, the couple’s relationship deteriorated when they returned home from a night of drinking in Hollywood and got into a heated argument.
When police arrived at the home at two in the morning, they saw “redness and marks” on the Nashville actress’s body.
Authorities arrested Hickerson after concluding that there had been a fight.
Aspiring actor Brian was charged with felony domestic abuse and was in violation of his $50,000 bond.
After the event made headlines, Hayden’s mother told Radar.com that she was upset by the situation, saying, “I’m in shock,” before bringing up Brian’s violent past.
“He has a tendency to do that [physical violence], and I knew he had an incident with his father.” I would have dealt with it sooner if I had anticipated that it would be against Hayden. The mother of the actress went on, “I have addressed many things.”
The previous year, Brian and his father David got into another domestic argument. Hayden was there at the moment.
When police went to a call for assault and violence at a private property in South Carolina in October 2018, they were met by an apparently “drunk and frantic” Hayden, according to police reports from the event.
Hayden’s relatives and friends, who were apparently already worried about the relationship between her and Hickerson, became even more worried about her after the incident.
A source told Us Weekly back in November that although the couple’s frequent partying is unhealthy, none of her close friends or family members truly know what to do about it. Another person close to Hayden told Radar Online, “They are deeply concerned that she doesn’t listen to anyone.”
The source went on, “They do not approve,” referring to her parents and friends. They are hope that she will grow from this.
In May 2019, Hayden was granted a protective order in connection with Brian’s domestic abuse accusations, which were later withdrawn.
After a domestic abuse episode in February 2020, the couple broke up, and five months later, Brian was accused of eight charges of assault and domestic abuse.
In relation to the arrest, Brian spent 13 days behind bars.
In a statement following his arrest, Hayden expressed her hope that she might set an example for those facing similar circumstances.
She stated at the time, “I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve.”
“I’m ready to contribute to ensuring that this man never harms anyone again.”
Later, in a joint appearance with Good Morning America and People, she shared more details about their relationship.
The actress told People that she was “trying to live in a place of forgiveness” regarding her previous connection with Brian.
“A lot of women go through what I went through, and I want people to know it’s OK to ask for help,” she added, describing her time with her ex as “a very dark and complicated time in [her] life.”
Regarding her past with Brian and the numerous domestic abuse events he was accused of throughout their relationship, Hayden stated that she was “trying to live in a place of understanding.”
“I believe [Brian] has served his time and was open to receiving assistance.” She told People, “I think about the things I have done in my life that people have forgiven me for.” One of the most crucial things you learn during treatment is how to make amends. You also experience a great deal of inner calm from it.
The two were spotted together in Los Angeles after the interview, although Brian clarified that they are “just friends” and “absolutely not” together anymore.
Brian responded, “I thought she did a great job,” when asked about her interview regarding their connection.
“She’s great – I’m excited to see the next opportunities for her,” he added, expressing his continued support for his former partner.
“I think so, I think everybody would like to see it … she’s out there man, I mean, you know, Scream 6,” Brian added, expressing his belief that Hayden’s career will flourish with next projects.
Hayden received another devastating news in 2023 when her brother Jansen passed away suddenly at the age of 28.
The actress described feeling as though she had lost “half my soul” a few days after learning of the death of her only sister.
“I felt like I lost half of my soul when I lost him,” she said to PEOPLE. I will never be able to go over my heartbreak over [him].
“I will never be able to move on from his loss, no matter how many years pass.”
Hayden made a comeback to acting later that year, playing Kirby Reed again in the sixth installment of the slasher series Scream VI.
She later starred in Sleepwalker and Amber Alert, where she also worked as an executive producer.
Hayden received additional devastating news in 2023 when her brother Jansen, who was 28 years old, passed away suddenly (seen together in 2019).
Hayden most recently came out as bisexual in advance of the publication of her upcoming memoir, last Is Me: A Reckoning. The Nashville alum stated, “It’s sad that I had to wait till I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never, right?” (seen last year)
Prior to the publication of her upcoming memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, Hayden most recently came out as bisexual.
Despite only ever dated guys in public, the actress disclosed that she started dating women “at a very young age.”
The Equal Means Equal crusader has also dated musician Jesse McCartney, former Hills star Stephen Colletti, Welsh TV host Steve Jones, retired NFL wide receiver Scotty McKnight, and the late Harry Morton, founder of Pink Taco.
The Nashville alum told Us Weekly on Wednesday, “I’ve chosen to share it with the world, I’m comfortable saying I’m bisexual. It’s sad that I had to wait until I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never, right?” I can state with confidence that I am bisexual. I stated it.
Panettiere managed to covertly date women, whom she preferred to men from “a very, very young age,” despite having little privacy since “paparazzi always outside waiting for me.”
The two-time Golden Globe nominee stated, “[I was] much more into women.” “But, yeah, I have explored it, but I don’t think I ever had the courage, because I hadn’t shared this with anybody.” “I didn’t really have the courage to throw myself fully, emotionally into it, because if I did fall in love, that wasn’t something that I wanted to ever have to hide.” I was too scared to truly allow that aspect of myself to explore that aspect of myself because I didn’t feel confident enough.
During a “period of time, where it felt like people coming out, especially women coming out, and saying that they were bisexual, or liked girls, was a fad,” Hayden was concerned that it would appear as like she was “jumping on the bandwagon.”
During the two years she spent writing her 320-page memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which Grand Central Publishing will publish on May 19, the Grammy-nominated narrator made the decision to be “completely brutally honest” about her sexuality.
