The Moment
Hayden Panettiere is speaking plainly about her sexuality for the first time. In a new on-record interview published May 6, the Heroes and Nashville star, 36, says she is bisexual and explains why she waited to share it publicly. The reveal also appears in her forthcoming memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning”, out May 19.
Panettiere describes dating women over the years and calls those early experiences “scary,” citing aggressive paparazzi attention and a climate that made her worry she’d be dismissed as hopping on a fad. She says that while she explored her attraction to women privately, she hesitated to fall in love publicly if it meant having to hide it.
It’s a personal announcement tied to a career milestone, and one that lands very differently in 2026 than it would have in her tabloid-heavy 2000s heyday.
The Take
I’m glad she said it out loud, and I’m even gladder she said why it took time. For so many women who came up in the aughts, being open about being bi wasn’t just risky, it was branded as a phase, a stunt, or a marketing ploy. Imagine trying to declare something sacred while flashbulbs explode and strangers decide whether it “counts.”
Panettiere’s story also tracks with a bigger shift: today, bisexuality isn’t an asterisk, it’s an orientation. Back then, a girl-on-girl kiss could be written off as ratings bait (remember the endless “sweeps week” stunts?). Now, fans and the industry are a touch wiser, and the paparazzi machine isn’t quite the same beast. Her timing isn’t late; it’s humane.
If coming out were a phone setting, this is that moment you finally switch off Airplane Mode. The connection was always there; now it can actually ring.
Receipts
Confirmed:
- Panettiere states she is bisexual in an on-record interview published May 6, 2026, offering direct quotes about her identity and past experiences dating women.
- She says the reveal is also in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning”, slated for release May 19, 2026, per the official book announcement and listing.
- Her past remarks about experimenting when younger were reported at the time of a 2009 Heroes storyline involving her character, aligning with publicly available coverage of her comments.
- Personal history: She previously dated co-star Milo Ventimiglia and later Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she shares a daughter, Kaya, as documented in long-standing public records and interviews.
- Regarding ex Brian Hickerson: Los Angeles County records show he pleaded no contest in 2021 in a domestic violence case and served a brief jail sentence, followed by probation and protective orders.
Unverified/Reported:
- Specific timelines or identities of the women she dated have not been publicly detailed by Panettiere.
- Any suggestion that her announcement is timed for “publicity” is speculative; she cites personal comfort and past media pressure as her reasons.
Backstory (for Casual Readers)
Panettiere broke out as cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC’s “Heroes” in the mid-2000s and later headlined ABC/CMT’s “Nashville”. She was a fixture of the paparazzi era, which scrutinized young actresses’ dating lives. Her relationships with Milo Ventimiglia and boxer Wladimir Klitschko (they share daughter Kaya) played out in public. From 2018 to 2022, she was linked to Brian Hickerson; court records show he entered a no-contest plea in a domestic violence case in 2021. In recent years, she’s been candid about rebuilding her life and career.
What’s Next
The memoir drops May 19, and we’ll likely see more on-record interviews and excerpts in the run-up. Watch for Panettiere’s own social posts clarifying what she wants to share and what she doesn’t. Professionally, a press tour could lead to new screen projects; personally, she’s setting clearer boundaries between public and private. A respectful hope: that the rollout centers on her words, not paparazzi gotchas.
Do later-in-life coming-out moments change how you see a star’s past, or simply help you understand it on their terms?
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