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Throughout her time in Hollywood, Hayden Panettiere’s love interests have frequently been subjects of media interest. Ranging from her romance with Milo Ventimiglia, her Heroes colleague, to her long, cyclical relationship with the boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, the actress has experienced several prominent partnerships through the years.
More recently, Hayden became open about facets of her private life while promoting her forthcoming memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, scheduled for release on May 19, 2026. In an interview featured in Us Weekly, the Nashville star publicly disclosed, for the first time, that she identifies as bisexual and revealed she had privately been seeing women for numerous years but previously felt inhibited about speaking candidly due to public examination and pressure stemming from her early years as a child star.
Peruse Hayden Panettiere’s comprehensive dating timeline below.
Milo Ventimiglia
Hayden was romantically involved with her Heroes co-star, Milo Ventimiglia, spanning from 2007 to 2009, subsequent to their initial meeting on the set of the NBC television program. Their involvement garnered extensive media coverage owing to the considerable 12-year age disparity – Hayden was 18 when their relationship commenced, whereas Milo was 30.
The pair largely maintained a low profile concerning their romance before their separation in 2009. Years later, Hayden contemplated the relationship during interviews promoting her memoir, citing the age difference as a notable “point of contention” between the two.
Wladimir Klitschko
Following her parting with Milo, Hayden initiated a romantic engagement with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko in 2009, having been introduced through common acquaintances. Their bond experienced periods of separation and reconciliation over nearly a decade. The pair briefly went their separate ways in 2011 due to geographic constraints before rekindling their relationship in 2013 and subsequently becoming engaged later that year.
In 2014, they celebrated the birth of their daughter, Kaya. Hayden and Wladimir ultimately dissolved their engagement and separated permanently in 2018, although they have preserved a connection through shared parenting duties and have openly expressed positive sentiments regarding each other in subsequent years.
Scotty McKnight
Hayden briefly had a relationship with former NFL player Scotty McKnight after a temporary separation from Klitschko in 2011. At the time, Scotty was playing for the New York Jets, and accounts indicated that the two were connected through mutual contacts.
Their relationship endured for approximately a year before concluding amicably in late 2012. Insiders at the time alluded to the fact that geographic distance and divergent lifestyles contributed to the dissolution of the bond.
Brian Hickerson
Hayden commenced a relationship with real estate professional Brian Hickerson in 2018, shortly after her separation from Wladimir. Their romance swiftly gained notoriety due to multiple instances of domestic violence involving Brian. He faced multiple arrests on charges relating to assault throughout the duration of their involvement.
In subsequent interviews and segments extracted from her memoir, Hayden portrayed the relationship as emotionally and physically harmful and conveyed the difficulty she encountered in extricating herself from the situation. The couple ultimately terminated their relationship 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.