Growing up in the public eye has its ups and downs, but for Hayden Panettiere, the ups were sky-high and the lows were devastating.
1. Acting Was In Her Blood
Born in Palisades, New York, Hayden Panettiere already had the genes of an actor. Her mother was a soap opera actress, who inspired her children greatly. More than inspiring, she wanted her children to start their careers at an early age. So, unsurprisingly, both Panettiere and her younger brother chose acting as a career from very early on.
But life in Hollywood would tear her apart in the most brutal ways.
2. She Was Only A Baby
Panettiere’s acting debut was for a Playskool commercial. Most child actors kick off their careers with commercials like that, but Panettiere wasn’t even a child. She was only 11 months old. Starting out so young had some perilous consequences, and as she grew up, Panettiere lost some of her childhood to the responsibilities of performing.
Raven Underwood, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons
3. She Became A Household Name
As she entered her teenage years, more opportunities presented themselves to Panettiere. One notable one was the NBC hit series Heroes, where she portrayed a cheerleader with superpowers. She found herself locked into a world of science fiction fans and conventions. She was incredibly grateful for such a big role—but there was also a glaring downside.
Universal Media Studios , Heroes (TV series 2006/2010)
4. Her Beauty Had Disadvantages
While Panettiere was busy with Heroes and its PR campaigns, she realized a troublesome thing about this project. She was on the verge of being typecast. This began limiting her options because, as she put it, “people look at [her] as either the popular cheerleader type or just the blonde".
Little did Panettiere know, this was the least of her worries.
Universal Media Studios , Heroes (TV series 2006/2010)
5. A Zebra Bullied Her
Panettiere moved on to her next gig—a movie called Racing Stripes. It was a cute family movie that starred some big names, like David Spade. However, her happiness wouldn’t last long. While filming on location in South Africa, a zebra bucked her off its back, injuring her pretty badly. They rushed her to the hospital—but her situation looked alarming.
Alcon Entertainment , Racing Stripes (2005)
6. She Was Not Okay
When Panettiere arrived at the hospital, the medical staff said that she had a concussion. But that wasn't all. On top of the shock and the confusion from the concussion, she had a whiplash and two compressed vertebrae in her neck. As you can guess, she was no longer BFFs with that zebra.
This was undoubtedly a traumatic accident—but behind the scenes, something even more disturbing transpired.
Alcon Entertainment , Racing Stripes (2005)
7. She Took "Happy Pills"
While 15-year-old Hayden Panettiere put on a big smile and shone in her family-friendly flicks, her personal life was chilling. Her life took a dark turn after a member of her team presented her with "happy pills". She'd take these pills before red carpets so that she'd be "peppy" for all the interviews. But it was a slippery slope with disastrous consequences.
8. She Trusted The Wrong People
When it came to those nefarious "happy pills," Panettiere later confessed, “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". In Hollywood, plying minors with pills is a tale as old as time. Tragically, Panettiere trusted the adults in her life to protect her, but they only doomed her to one of the hardest chapters of her life.
GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
9. She Lost Control
On set, Hayden Panettiere kept her addiction problems under wraps, saying that she "couldn't be messy" while working on Heroes. However, when she wasn't working on a project, she'd submit to worrisome behavior, "getting out of control". But this was only the beginning. Her addiction problems would continue to poison the best parts of her life.
chaubaby from London, United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons
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10. She Had “Comic-Con Romance”
In December 2007—while filming Heroes—Panettiere felt a spark sizzle between herself and a co-star. Even though she was 18 and her co-star Milo Ventimiglia was 30, the days they spent working together quickly turned this spark into a relationship. This on-set romance seemed to be just the ticket—until reality hit them like a brick wall.
Heroes & Villains, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
11. The Couple Was Off
In February 2009, Panettiere and Ventimiglia broke up. Someone who was close to the couple even commented, "They lead different lifestyles. He's 31, she's 19. She still has growing up to do and he's very low-key". Ultimately, fame was a double-edged sword, and Panettiere later admitted that the success of Heroes utterly destroyed her personal life.
12. She Was Under A Microscope
Although her star was on the rise, Panettiere couldn't leave her house without being ambushed by the paparazzi. Suddenly, every aspect of her life was being ripped apart and analyzed, and it negatively impacted her relationships. This may be the reason why Milo Ventimiglia remains tight-lipped about his personal life to this day.
However, though finding romance in Hollywood was a struggle, Hayden Panettiere wasn't about to throw in the towel.
Featureflash Photo Agency , Shutterstock
13. Her Family Fell Apart
In 2009, Panettiere met the former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko at a book launch party. The two hit it off and they started dating. But while her love life was on the rise, her parents’ was the opposite.
Not only did Panettiere have to endure the pain of her parent’s separation, she found herself in the middle of a messy, long divorce battle. Her mom and dad often forced her to pick a side. Consequently, she distanced herself from her family, throwing herself into her new romance.
14. She Watched Him Win
For one of the date nights in 2010, Panettiere went to one of Klitschko’s fights. Luckily, he was in the mood to put on a show for her girlfriend sitting ringside. She witnessed Klitschko’s historic knockout over Samuel Peter. She was screaming so hard that she almost manifested what came next.
Beacon Pictures , Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006)
15. Her Role Was Iconic
A year later, the producers of Scream decided to cast Panettiere for their sequel—Scream 4. She got to work with big names like Courtney Cox and Neve Campbell. But even though Panettiere was spot-on with her role as Kirby Reed, the movie got mixed reviews. Still, it became one of Panettiere's most memorable performances. But while her career took off in exciting new directions, her love life took a serious hit.
The Weinstein Company[ , Scream 4 (2011)
16. Her Boyfriend Was No Longer In The Picture
Despite all the fun times they had together, Panettiere and Klitschko reached the expiration date for their relationship—at least for the moment. In May 2011, they officially announced their breakup. According to the couple, the long-distance nature of the relationship had burned them out.
It was an amicable breakup, so Panettiere wasted no time getting back to her day job.
Lucky Monkey Pictures , Custody (2016)
17. She Was Back On TV
Despite any personal turmoil, Panettiere jumped back to acting—and her comeback was glamorous. She was cast as a bubblegum pop singer in the new show Nashville. Until that point, she had done numerous shows and movies, yet this was going to be different, and here’s why.
ABC Studios , Nashville (TV series)
18. She's A Songbird
Even though Panettiere hadn’t tapped into her singer side for a while, she didn’t shy away from the opportunity to get back into it. For Nashville, she recorded some songs—and the response was overwhelming. These numbers ended up being a commercial success, so she continued recording songs for every season of the show.
Everything was turning up roses, so much so that even an old heartbreak turned into what seemed like Panettiere's "happily ever after".
Beacon Pictures , Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006)
19. She Missed Her Ex
Even though Panettiere had turned a fresh new page in her life, someone from her past popped up. In April 2013, she made up with her ex-boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko. This time, the two were more than a fling—shortly after they got back together, they got engaged.
They were about to become a family—both in good times and the bad.
20. She Protested
Panettiere and Klitschko liked to stay busy and travel, but this time they traveled for a purpose. Klitsckho’s brother—Vitali—was a major figure in the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine, so Panettiere joined her fiancée and her family in this quest. She even addressed the crowds and played a small role in the political scene.
When they returned from Ukraine, she got some news about a new role she was about to play—the most complex one yet.
21. She Became A Mother
No, this new role was not another character in a TV show. Panettiere would embark on the fearful journey of becoming a mother. In December 2014, she gave birth to her daughter, Kaya. But this was all happening very fast—and she didn’t know how to deal with it. Motherhood would prove to be more difficult than she ever imagined.
22. She Returned Back To Work ASAP
After welcoming her new daughter, Panettiere returned to work earlier than expected. Her daughter was not even five months old when she found herself on the set of another movie, Custody, before even figuring out how to deal with this drastic change in her life.
Behind the scenes, Panettiere struggled like never before.
Lucky Monkey Pictures , Custody (2016)
23. She Struggled With Depression
As time passed, Panettiere began to worry about her life, while her husband began to worry about her declining mental health. In 2015, she opened up about having postpartum depression after giving birth to her daughter. She noted that this was "scary and needs to be talked about". Unfortunately, her condition was about to take a horrifying turn.
Lucky Monkey Pictures , Custody (2016)
24. She Picked Up Some Habits
Though Panettiere didn't drink while pregnant with her daughter—her sobriety flew out the window not long after she gave birth. To cope with her postpartum depression, the actress turned to drinking. On the outside, nobody knew just how bad it was, but Panettiere later confessed, "As I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn't live without". Oh, but it gets worse.
Experience Media Studios , The Forger (2011)
25. She Fell Apart
Panettiere’s private life took the biggest hit in this journey. Her relationship with Klitschko deteriorated while she was in and out of treatment. As she put it, she was in a “cycle of self-destruction” and it came to a point where the two had no hope for their relationship. Therefore, in 2018, they called it off.
Sadly, there was more heartache to come.
26. She Had To Drink To Function
Though she'd struggled with addiction since she was 15, Panettiere's substance problems reached a whole new level. She began to have uncontrollable shakes, and she had to drink just to function. Knowing that she was in the roughest shape of her life, the actress made the most difficult decision imaginable.
Ingenious Film Partners , I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009)
27. She Gave Her Daughter Away
For the safety of her daughter Kaya, Panettiere decided to send her daughter away. Kaya would live with her father in Ukraine. The 33-year-old mother was somber as she signed the papers that gave Klitschko full custody. As she put it, “I mean, it was the worst, signing those papers, it was like the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever had to do in my life”.
But after this brutal separation, her condition only worsened. In fact, Panettiere drank so much—she landed herself in the hospital with jaundice. It was an earth-shattering wake-up call.
28. She Ended Up In The Hospital
Hospitalized for her excessive drinking, the doctors sprung some horrifying news on Panettiere. They told her that her "liver was going to give out". The actress had to come to terms with the fact that her body just couldn't bounce back anymore. And that's when she decided to finally get the help she desperately needed.
Lucky Monkey Pictures , Custody (2016)
29. She Went To Rehab
Following her scary hospital stay, Panettiere checked herself into rehab for eight months. But there was one thing that distressed her about the experience. Doctors specifically treated her as a drinker, while they swept her postpartum depression under the rug.
While in treatment, the actress felt like her voice wasn't always heard because doctors didn't believe she was telling the truth: "...even when you're doing well, I've been told 'No,' almost gaslit, and told, 'No, I wasn't'".
30. Her Life Changed
After having critically acclaimed performances, releasing and singing multiple songs, and literally growing up with this show, Panettiere finally said goodbye to Nashville. On July 26, 2018, the show aired its final episode. With no set to go every day, her life got a little boring. Of course, she knew the best way to get the party started.
ABC Studios , Nashville (Tv Series 2012/18)
31. She Had A New Lover
Right after she closed the chapter of Nashville, Panettiere began seeing a gentleman named Brian Hickerson. One might argue that this was not the best time for a passionate, fiery relationship—since she was still in treatment. Indeed, for this incredibly dysfunctional couple, it was the worst time.
Featureflash Photo Agency , Shutterstock
32. She Wanted To Party
Panettiere still had so much farther to fall. Her life took an even darker turn after she started dating Hickerson. At the beginning of their romance, she recalled that she "wanted to party" and do everything she "wasn't supposed to do". Panettiere let loose and relinquished all responsibilities—but there was a horrifying fallout in store for her.
Ingenious Film Partners , I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009)
33. She Felt Lost
As she struggle with her addiction and dove headfirst into an awful relationship, Panettiere felt more lost than ever before. In reminiscing, she stated, "Acting was my life, but I felt so bad about myself that I lost trust in myself. And that is very detrimental. The idea of not having a responsibility was very appealing at the time".
Unfortunately, in the midst of all this dangerous freedom, her boyfriend's dark side reared its ugly head.
Beacon Pictures , Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006)
34. Her Boyfriend Was A Troublemaker
Panettiere's relationship with Hickerson may have started out as a good time—but it quickly became downright scary. In May 2019, authorities charged Hickerson with domestic violence. Panettiere even had a protective order prior to the charges being dropped. Oh, but that wasn't the end of it.
Featureflash Photo Agency , Shutterstock
35. She Broke Her Promise
The very next year, authorities arrested Hickerson on account of eight more charges. He also spent 13 days behind bars, during which time Panettiere spoke up. She made a heartbreaking statement: "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 am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again".
This sound like the end of the relationship—but Panettiere shocked everyone by staying with him.
Trigger Street Productions , The Good Student (2006)
36. She Wanted To Forgive Him
Panettiere somehow continued her relationship with Hickerson and decided to forget about this scandalous incident. She stated that she was “trying to live in a place of forgiveness”. Well, in 2022, the on-again-off-again couple made headlines once more—and it proved that Panettiere was still stuck with the worst partner imaginable.
Beacon Pictures , Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006)
37. The Couple Was In a Bar Brawl
TMZ published a video from a bar in Los Angeles wherein Hickerson can be seen fighting a group, while Hayden screams, "Brian, jail!" This video went viral and everybody was curious about what actually happened. Panettiere opened up about the details, saying that it all started when Hickerson made a comment to someone who left a poor tip to the waitress.
38. She Tried To Stop Them
According to Panettiere and her team, the other group heard the comment and then started the fight. After the manager asked them to leave and they continued the fight outside, she stepped in to protect her boyfriend. She failed and fell to the ground, and a bar employee carried her out.
Fortunately, both she and Hickerson got out of it with minimum damage—but that was the beginning of the end.
Tabercil, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons
39. They Are Still Friends
The timeline is a little foggy, but Panettiere and Hickerson eventually split—but there was something weird about this breakup. They buried the hatchet and decided to stay friends. Due to the confusion, Panettiere opened up about her friendship with Hickerson and said, “I want to make sure that everybody knows that each person who goes through something like that, they're on their own journey. No two things are exactly alike”.
There may have been a secret reason behind this heartfelt comment.
Tabercil, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons
40. She Hinted At A Reconciliation
Even though Panettiere stuck with the narrative of her and Hickerson being “just friends," a bizarre thing happened during a 2023 photo shoot at her home. When the interview team arrived, Hickerson was already at the house. On top of that, Panettiere continuously called him “babe," admitting that “There are still feelings there”.
She seemed to be flying under the radar—but so were her ex and daughter.
Ewen Roberts, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons
41. Her Daughter Lived A Secret Life
Due to the sensitive political issues in Ukraine, Panettiere worried about her daughter's safety. She stated that her ex and her daughter resided in an undisclosed location, which also meant she didn’t get to see Kaya often. It was hard to live away so far away from one another, but staying in show business had its perks.
42. She Revisited Her Old Character
In January 2022, Panettiere agreed to reprise her role as Kirby Reed in the Scream 4 sequel, Scream—but she had a very small role. In fact, you can't even really call it a role, because her face is only seen in a photograph. This, however, was an important hint to Scream fans everywhere. It meant that her character had survived.
This was an excellent use of foreshadowing.
Beacon Pictures , Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006)
43. She Announced Her Comeback
After her lengthy acting hiatus, Hollywood came knocking once more. The producers of Scream reached out to her with the idea of reviving her character—and they offered her a part in the sixth Scream movie. This was a big deal for Panettiere since it would be her first movie appearance since 2018.
That's when she had a chilling realization.
44. She Was Anxious
On top of the mounting performance anxiety, Panettiere realized that her ability to memorize her lines had tanked. She said, “I used to memorize things like that, within two seconds. Suddenly it was taking me hours to memorize something. It was like that muscle atrophied, so I was terrified”.
Still, her anxiety was nothing compared to what she had to go through next.
Trigger Street Productions , The Good Student (2006)
45. She Lost Her Brother
One day in February 2023, Hayden Panettiere received some bone-shaking news: Her little brother Jansen had passed. She couldn't believe her ears because her little brother was way too young—only 28 years old. The reason for his demise was heartbreaking.
Gordon Vasquez / Carole Lowe Photography, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons
46. It Took Everyone By Surprise
According to the official reports, three of Jansen's friends found him "unresponsive" in his home "sitting upright in a chair". They called 9-1-1 and tried to revive him with CPR, but it was already too late. Apparently, Panettiere's brother had died from “cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications”.
In the midst of such a shocking tragedy, Panettiere had to put on a brave face to promote her new film.
47. She Had A Meltdown
A few weeks later, while she was giving an interview for Scream VI, the host offered his condolences. That was when she broke down. She thanked the host, adding that, “He’s uh, right here with me,” with tears in her eyes. Panettiere is still trying to get over this relatively recent incident, and we offer our condolences too.
48. She Didn't Have A Normal Childhood
Going to school, playing with her friends, and sitting in a classroom weren't real parts of Hayden Panettiere's life—unless she was playing a student. Throughout high school, she was homeschooled. But though this paints a lonely picture of Panettiere's youth, some good came out of it.
Ingenious Film Partners , I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009)
49. She Made A Difference
Hard work and sacrifices paid off for Panettiere—she scored a role in ABC’s soap opera One Life to Live. Her character in the soap opera had leukemia, which was a difficult thing to delve into for a five-year-old actress. Still, she excelled in that role—to a level where she received an award for improving national awareness of leukemia.
This was exciting for her, but not as much as what followed.
50. Her First Nomination Was Stupefying
When Panettiere was ten, she booked the animated comedy film called A Bug’s Life, where she not only did voice acting but sang too. Shockingly, this teenager won a Grammy nomination for the song in 1999. Although she didn’t win, it was still a very big moment for her—and definitely opened more doors.
Unfortunately, as we now know, not all of these doors led to fantastic opportunities...Some led to very real nightmares.
Featureflash Photo Agency , Shutterstock
