Hayden Panettiere is opening up about a deeply personal part of her life, revealing publicly for the first time that she is bisexual. The “Nashville” alum shared the news while discussing her upcoming memoir, explaining that years of pressure in the spotlight made it difficult to fully embrace that side of herself publicly.
Speaking candidly about her sexuality, Panettiere admitted she wishes she had felt comfortable opening up sooner. “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 told Us Weekly. “I’ve chosen to share it with the world. I’m comfortable saying I’m bisexual. I’m comfortable to confidently say that, yes, I am bisexual. I said it!”
Growing up in Hollywood came with intense scrutiny, something Panettiere says shaped how much of herself she was willing to share publicly. Despite paparazzi “always outside waiting” for her, she revealed she privately dated women over the years, and admitted she had been attracted to women from a young age.
“[I was] much more into women,” she explained. Still, fear and insecurity kept her from fully exploring those relationships openly. “I didn’t really have the courage to throw myself fully, emotionally into it,” she said. “Because then if I did fall in love, that wasn’t something that I wanted to ever have to hide.”
Fear Of Judgment Kept Panettiere Silent
Panettiere also revealed she worried about how the public would perceive her if she came out earlier in her career. She explained that during one period in Hollywood, bisexuality among female celebrities was sometimes dismissed as a “fad,” making her hesitant to speak openly. “I didn’t feel confident enough, and I was too afraid to really let that part of me explore that part of me,” she admitted.
The actress says she decided to be “completely brutally honest” while writing her upcoming memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” which is set for release on May 19. The book will reportedly explore not only her sexuality and personal relationships but also the darker side of growing up in the entertainment industry.
New Memoir Promises Raw Look At Hayden Panettiere’s Child Stardom
Panettiere writes about navigating tabloid culture, public pressure, and taking on acting roles that “mirrored her real-life trauma,” while simultaneously dealing with her own struggles behind the scenes.
She has also made clear that the memoir digs deeper than the headlines fans may remember, examining what it truly cost her to grow up under constant public attention and how that pressure affected her mental health long before the public fully understood what she was going through.
Panettiere Reflects On Trauma, Addiction, And Recovery
In “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” Hayden Panettiere reportedly opens up about navigating tabloid scrutiny while taking on acting roles that “mirrored her real-life trauma,” all while privately battling struggles away from the spotlight.
The actress has previously been candid about her journey with opioid addiction and alcohol abuse, speaking openly in a 2022 interview about her recovery and how far she’s come. More than anything, Panettiere said she hopes her story can serve as encouragement for others facing similar battles. “I want to let them know that there is a time when you get over the hill,” she said at the time. “Recovery is real. It can happen, and you can be happier than you’ve ever been before in your life.”
She continued, “When you’re an addict, it’s really hard to believe that you can feel relief, so you’ve just got to hear from people who have come out the other side, people who can tell you that it is possible and that they can do it.”
Hayden Panettiere’s Highly Publicized Relationships
Over the years, Panettiere has only publicly dated men, including former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she shares daughter, Kaya. She also previously dated Milo Ventimiglia, Jesse McCartney, and several other high-profile figures.
Most recently, she split from Brian Hickerson in 2020 following multiple domestic violence-related arrests involving him. Now, with her memoir on the horizon, Panettiere appears ready to reclaim her narrative, and finally share the parts of herself she once felt forced to hide.
