Hayden Panettiere has opened up about her past experiences in the acting industry, making a number of shocking allegations. The 36-year-old actress claimed she was once forced into bed with an undressed, very famous man when she was just 18.
Alleged Incident on a Boat
Ahead of her upcoming memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, the star spoke to Jay Shetty's podcast. She described an alleged situation where she was enjoying a night on a boat with friends when a surprise left her feeling in danger. According to Panettiere, she was led by someone she had grown to trust and see as a protector to a very small room. She claimed she believed the person had her back.
Becoming tearful, the Heroes actress stated: 'She physically put me in the bed next to this undressed man who was very famous.' While she did not name the man, she said it felt like this was just an average day for him and something that happens all the time. She said she became ferocious as she went into survival mode, thinking, 'This is not happening.'
With the party being at sea, Hayden said after escaping the room, she had to hide elsewhere on the boat. 'There was no jumping off and swimming away. And I realised that there was nobody who was going to be empathetic to my situation, that this was nothing new to them,' she explained. Hayden added that, despite feeling mature at the time, she now understands that she wasn't capable of being fully aware of what was going on around her.
Custody of Her Daughter
The star also discussed giving up custody of her daughter, hitting back at claims she 'just gave away' her child. The Nashville star signed over custody of her 11-year-old daughter to ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko in 2018. She called claims she gave her away heartbreaking and tried to dismiss the misconception behind what happened. She insisted she will always put her daughter Kaya first.
Calling herself a 'mother lion', she insisted that at the time, it was best to let Kaya live in Europe with her ex while she sought treatment. 'It became this horrible cycle for years of battling depression, anxiety, alcoholism and substance abuse—and me just trying to find my way out of this darkness,' she said. 'By the time I finally got healthy, I felt like it would have been unfair of me and selfish of me to try to pull her out away from this life that she had.'
She revealed she still has an incredible relationship with her daughter, with the pair regularly FaceTiming. She also said she is often in Europe visiting. 'She's an incredible little girl—so happy, speaks five languages and rides horses. She's got two parents that love her and I know in my heart that she feels supported.'
If you have been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or by calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999.
