Hayden Panettiere’s relationships have often drawn public attention throughout her years in Hollywood. From dating her Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia to her longtime on-and-off romance with boxer Wladimir Klitschko, the actress has had several high-profile relationships over the years.
More recently, Hayden opened up about her personal life while promoting her upcoming memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which is set to be released on May 19, 2026. In an interview with Us Weekly, the Nashville alum publicly revealed for the first time that she identifies as bisexual and shared that she had dated women privately for years but previously felt afraid to speak openly about it because of public scrutiny and pressure as a child star.
Take a look back at Hayden Panettiere’s full dating history below.
Milo Ventimiglia
Hayden dated her Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia from 2007 to 2009 after the two met while filming the NBC series together. Their relationship received significant media attention because of their 12-year age gap—Hayden was 18 when they started dating, while Milo was 30.
The pair largely kept their romance private before splitting in 2009. Years later, Hayden reflected on the relationship in interviews promoting her memoir, calling the age difference a “point of contention” between them.
Wladimir Klitschko
After her split from Milo, Hayden began dating Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko in 2009 after meeting through mutual friends. Their relationship was on and off for nearly a decade. The couple briefly split in 2011 because of long distance before reconciling in 2013 and getting engaged later that year.
In 2014, they welcomed their daughter, Kaya. Hayden and Wladimir ultimately ended their engagement and split for good in 2018, though they have remained connected through co-parenting and have publicly spoken positively about one another over the years.
Scotty McKnight
Hayden briefly dated former NFL player Scotty McKnight after temporarily splitting from Klitschko in 2011. Scotty played for the New York Jets at the time, and reports said the two were introduced through mutual friends.
Their relationship lasted for about a year before they amicably split in late 2012. Sources at the time claimed distance and their differing lifestyles contributed to the breakup.
Brian Hickerson
Hayden began dating real estate agent Brian Hickerson in 2018 shortly after her split from Wladimir. Their relationship quickly became highly publicized because of multiple domestic violence incidents involving Brian. He was arrested several times on assault-related charges during their relationship.
In later interviews and excerpts from her memoir, Hayden described the relationship as emotionally and physically abusive and said it became difficult for her to leave the situation. The pair ultimately split for good around 2020.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
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