The actress, whose memoir 'This Is Me: A Reckoning' is out May 19, revealed she is bisexual
NEED TO KNOW
- Hayden Panettiere revealed she is bisexual
- The Nashville actress’ memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, is out Tuesday, May 19
- She said it’s “sad I had to wait until I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never”
Hayden Panettiere is opening up about her sexuality and why she decided to publicly come out at 36.
The Nashville actress makes the revelation in her forthcoming memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which will hit shelves on Tuesday, May 19. In a new interview, Panettiere explained why she chose now to share that she is bisexual.
"That’s something about me I was never able to share with the world because it was just never the right time," she told Us Weekly in an interview published Wednesday, May 6. "It was either I was too young, and I was being forced to be perfect at all times; I was not encouraged to just be myself. Then came the period where it felt like people coming out, especially women, saying that they were bisexual or liked girls, was a fad. I was afraid that if I was honest it was going to be like me jumping on the bandwagon. It was a very difficult topic to articulate properly."
The Heroes alum added that it is "sad I had to wait until I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never, right?"
Credit: Amazon
Panettiere also revealed that she has dated women in the past. "I have explored it, but because I hadn’t shared this with anybody, I didn’t really have the courage to throw myself fully emotionally into it. Because then if I did fall in love that wasn’t something that I wanted to ever have to hide."
She added to the outlet, "Now that I know that this book is coming out, and that I’ve chosen to share it with the world, I’m comfortable to confidently say that yes, I am bisexual. I said it! This is the first time I got to say it out loud."
Panettiere's known romantic history includes ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko — with whom she shares daughter Kaya, 11 — as well as former NFL player Scotty McKnight, her Heroes costar Milo Ventimiglia, and Stephen Colletti.
Her longest public relationship was with Klitschko, spanning nearly a decade on and off between 2009 and 2018. After their breakup, Panettiere entered a relationship with Brian Hickerson.
Panettiere first teased her memoir in 2024. At the time, she told PEOPLE about the book, "You may laugh a little, cry a little, but most importantly you’ll hopefully finish it feeling inspired. I’ve grown so much from my experiences. I hope that this opportunity to further elaborate on that journey may provide a little comfort for those who have faced similar challenges. I’m truly grateful for every lesson, and for the woman I have become today.”
This is Me: A Reckoning by Panettiere is available May 19, wherever books are sold.
Read the full article here
