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Hayden Panettiere has seen many ups and downs in her life, and through them all, she’s been admirably honest and open with her fans.
Now, Hayden has revealed that she has been holding one thing back — she’s bisexual.
The actress shared the news with fans while promoting her upcoming memoir.
“That’s something about me I was never able to share with the world because it was just never the right time,” she told Us Weekly in a new interview, adding:
“It was either I was too young, and I was being forced to be perfect at all times; I was not encouraged to just be myself.
“Then came the period where it felt like people coming out, especially women, saying that they were bisexual or liked girls, was a fad. I was afraid that if I was honest it was going to be like me jumping on the bandwagon. It was a very difficult topic to articulate properly.”
Hayden added that it is “sad I had to wait until I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never, right?”
“I have explored it, but because I hadn’t shared this with anybody, I didn’t really have the courage to throw myself fully emotionally into it. Because then if I did fall in love that wasn’t something that I wanted to ever have to hide,” she explained, adding:
“Now that I know that this book is coming out, and that I’ve chosen to share it with the world, I’m comfortable to confidently say that yes, I am bisexual. I said it! This is the first time I got to say it out loud.”
Hayden announced the book on her Instagram page back in January, writing:
“Some stories are only yours to tell… My new memoir This is Me: A Reckoning releases May 12th! Link to pre-order is in my bio. Here we go!!!”
During her years in the public eye, Hayden has battled addiction and been at the center of multiple tabloid dramas.
Her tumultuous relationship with Brian Hickerson attracted plenty of unwanted attention from the press.
When her brother, Jansen Panettiere, passed away in 2023 at the age of 28, Hayden once again found herself at the center of a media firestorm.
Needless to say, it’s clear why she might wish to control the narrative herself for a change.
This is Me: A Reckoning will be in stores on May 12.
Hayden Panettiere Comes Out as Bisexual: ‘Better Late Than Never!’ was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.