Hayden Panettiere‘s relationship with singer Rihanna goes way back. In a new interview, the “Nashville” alum opened up about working with the mother of three years ago on the direct-to-DVD film “Bring It On: All or Nothing.” Elsewhere in the conversation, Panettiere shared her thoughts on what it feels like to have been a mainstay in the entertainment industry for over two decades, saying, “I’m having a moment!”
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Panettiere, who played Britney Allen in the 2006 third installment of the “Bring It On” franchise, reflected on how much being part of the beloved series meant to her at the time.
“I loved the passion that people had for Bring It On. When fans would come up who loved that movie, they would freak out — have a physical, visceral reaction to me that I had never seen before,” she said.
Panettiere also opened up about what it was like working with Rihanna on the film, which also starred Beyoncé’s younger sister, Solange Knowles.
“It’s so satisfying as a performer, doing anything, anyone giving you that much love, it’s incredible for your soul. And Rihanna! I met Rihanna when she was 17, and I was 16 on that,” Panettiere explained.
For those who may be unfamiliar, Rihanna wasn’t doing roundoff back handsprings in the film “Bring It On.” She was, however, judging the cheer teams during the film’s big finale.
According to Panettiere, she formed a great relationship with the “Hard” singer on the film’s set; so much so that Rihanna reportedly asks her the same question every time they see each other in public.
“I run to her all the time. And the first thing she asks is, ‘Oh, how’s your mom?’” Panettiere shared. “I met a lot of very cool people on that project, plus anything having to do with sports or being athletic, I’m in.”
Hayden Panettiere Reflects On Being Part Of The ‘Bring It On’ Franchise 20 Years Later
“Bring It On: All or Nothing” came six years after the original film starring Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union hit theaters. The movie’s 20th anniversary will be in early August 2026, a fact Panettiere didn’t seem ready to acknowledge.
“Oh God, [is] it really?” she said on the red carpet. “I was just with one of my dear friends, Evan Ross, and we were talking about how long we’d known each other. Remember the Titans came up, and I thought in my head, I was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s been 26 years.’ So now you’re telling me Bring It On has been how many years? My head’s in my hands.”
Continuing, Panettiere, who also appeared in famed shows like “Heroes” and “Guiding Light,” joked about how quickly time has flown by since “Bring It On.”
“I’m having a moment. I cannot believe I’ve been around — I still don’t feel like a full-grown adult!” she quipped.
How Hayden Panettiere’s ‘Bring It On’ Character Has Bled Into Her Real Life
While Panettiere’s time as Britney on “Bring It On” was nearly 20 years ago, the actress recently told Gayle King on CBS Mornings that the role has bled into her real life in an unexpected way.
While having an emotional conversation about her daughter, Kaya, with the esteemed media personality, Panettiere said that her child actually refers to her as the spunky fictional cheerleader from the affluent Pacific Vista High School.
“She actually called me and FaceTimed me the other day, and she calls me ‘Britney.’ She goes, ‘Hey Britney,’” Panettiere said. “It took me a second, and I realized she was talking about Bring It On, because her friends are fans of Bring It On.”
Panettiere Bares It All In Her Book, ‘This Is Me: A Reckoning’
Panettiere has been sharing more and more over the last few weeks to promote her new memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.”
Throughout the book, Panettiere is extremely candid about personal challenges, including her relationships with her mother and her daughter.
Also in the book, Panettiere opens up about a frightening experience where an unnamed movie director reportedly exposed his genitals to her, as well as another instance where she was placed in a bed with a famous, naked man.
Panettiere didn’t mention names in her book, and according to a previous report from The Blast, that was intentional.
“I wanted to tell my stories without dragging anyone else in the mud, through the mud,” she said. “As much as I want to call people out, this is still an industry that I have to exist in.”
Panettiere Says She Didn’t Want To Get Sued By Big Name Celebrities
Panettiere expanded on that, stating that the unnamed men she wrote about in her book still have a strong presence in Hollywood and that mentioning them could cause major issues for her.
“They’re people I could run into again. I didn’t want to put myself in that position,” she said, adding that the stories she wrote about “happened a long time ago.”
“… it was to protect me and my company from being sued by some very p-ssed-off famous people,” she explained.
