Hayden Panettiere has revealed intimate details of her life and career in her upcoming memoir, 'This Is Me', set for release on 19 May. The 36-year-old actress, best known for her role in 'Heroes', discusses her relationship with co-star Milo Ventimiglia, her mother's controlling nature, and her struggles with depression and domestic abuse.
In the book, Panettiere describes a 'little crush' on Ventimiglia when they worked together on 'Heroes', but does not provide further details about their romance. She also opens up about her mother, former soap actress Lesley Vogel, who pushed her into acting from a young age. Panettiere recalls her mother's anger when she failed to book roles and alleges that Vogel once superglued a fallen tooth back into her mouth to avoid losing a job.
Panettiere comes out as bisexual in the memoir, writing that she has 'been with women' but has not fallen in love with any. She recounts her first same-sex experience at around eight or nine years old. The actress also reveals being given a 'happy pill' by a former representative before a red carpet event at age 16, which led to her requesting one before every interview.
The memoir touches on darker aspects of Panettiere's life, including her parents' domestic abuse case in 2008, her own abusive relationship with ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson, and her struggles with postpartum depression and alcoholism. She also discusses relinquishing custody of her daughter and the death of her younger brother Jansen in 2023, to whom the book is dedicated.
