Hayden Panettiere has been seen in public for the first time since hinting at the identity of a 'very famous British singer songwriter' she was allegedly put in bed with at the age of 18. The actress, now 36, stepped out in New York City on Tuesday to celebrate the release of her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.
First Public Appearance Since Revelations
Panettiere was photographed wearing an all-black outfit as she promoted her book at Barnes & Noble in Union Square. This marks her first public outing since she fought back tears while recounting the traumatic experience on Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast earlier this month.
The Yacht Incident
In her memoir, Panettiere details a chapter titled 'Trust,' in which she describes being on a 'super yacht' in the South of France with numerous celebrities. She alleges that a trusted female friend led her to a private cabin where a 'famous thirtysomething British singer–songwriter' was shirtless in bed. Panettiere writes that her friend whispered, 'I want you to get in bed with him,' before leaving her alone.
Despite initially complying, Panettiere says her 'survival instinct kicked in.' She told the man, 'Look . . . I don't know what she said to you, but this is not going to happen.' As she attempted to leave, she encountered an 'Oscar winning actor and director' who exposed himself to her. She fled the party without saying goodbye to her friend.
Reflections on the Experience
Panettiere admits she was naive at 18, noting that her frontal lobes were not fully developed. She described feeling like a 'young commodity ripe for the picking' and betrayed by her friend, whom she had trusted as a protector. The actress said the incident made her feel as if she had been 'kicked in the face.'
Coming Out as Bisexual
The revelations come shortly after Panettiere came out as bisexual, stating she had been 'forced to be perfect' to avoid public scrutiny. She told Us Weekly that she had dated women secretly from a young age but lacked the courage to share that part of herself until now. Panettiere has only publicly dated men, including ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko and convicted felon Brian Hickerson.
Panettiere is scheduled to begin a four-date book tour starting May 19 at Barnes & Noble in New York City.
