Hayden Panettiere, who rose to fame as a child star in the early 2000s, has had a life marked by significant challenges behind the spotlight. Now 36, the actress has openly discussed her struggles with addiction, postpartum depression, and surviving an abusive relationship. On Wednesday, she also revealed she is bisexual, after years of feeling pressured to conceal that part of herself.
Early Stardom and Addiction
Panettiere became a household name at age 11 with her role in Remember the Titans. By 15, she told People that a member of her team gave her 'happy pills' to keep her 'peppy during interviews.' She later said, 'I had no idea that this was not an appropriate thing, or what door that would open for me when it came to my addiction.' By 16, she was drinking and taking opioids regularly when not on set for Heroes. 'As I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn't live without,' she shared, noting her addiction worsened while filming Nashville.
Relationships and Motherhood
At 18, she dated Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia, then 29, a short-lived romance attributed to 'lifestyle conflict.' In 2009, she began a nine-year on-and-off relationship with boxer Wladimir Klitschko, getting engaged in 2013 and welcoming daughter Kaya in 2014. After Kaya's birth, Panettiere suffered postpartum depression, which she discussed on Live! with Kelly and Michael: 'It's something a lot of women experience... Women need to know that they're not alone, and that it does heal.' The couple split amicably in 2018.
Rock Bottom and Recovery
After Nashville ended, Panettiere hit rock bottom, sending Kaya to live with Klitschko in Ukraine amid severe addiction and depression. She was hospitalized for jaundice, with doctors warning her 'liver was going to give out.' She then entered rehab for eight months.
Abusive Relationship
She began dating Brian Hickerson, who was arrested for domestic violence in May 2019 after a fight left 'redness and marks' on her. Hickerson was charged with eight counts of domestic violence in 2020. Panettiere later said, 'I am coming forward with the truth... in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need.' She described that time as 'a very dark and complicated time in my life.'
Family Tragedy and Return to Acting
In 2023, her brother Jansen died unexpectedly at 28. Panettiere said, 'When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul.' She returned to acting with Scream VI and later starred in Amber Alert and Sleepwalker.
Coming Out as Bisexual
In her upcoming memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, Panettiere comes out as bisexual, revealing she dated women secretly from a young age. '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?' She worried it might seem like a 'fad' but decided to be 'completely brutally honest.' The memoir is set for release on May 19.
