Actress Hayden Panettiere came out as bisexual in an interview preceding the release of her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.”
The troubled child star revealed she kept details of her sexuality a secret “because it was just never the right time,” in an interview with Us Weekly published May 6. Explaining her sudden decision to publicly declare her sexual orientation, she said, “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.”
Panettiere continued, “Then came the period where it felt like people coming out, especially women, saying that they were bisexual or liked girls, was a fad.”
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 03: Hayden Panettiere attends 2022 amfAR Gala Los Angeles at Pacific Design Center on November 03, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
“I was afraid that if I was honest, it was going to be like me jumping on the bandwagon,” Panettiere told the outlet.
“It was a very difficult topic to articulate properly. It’s sad I had to wait until I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never, right?”
Panettiere, now 36, appeared in “Message in a Bottle in 1999, and in the 2000 Disney film “Remember the Titans,” before becoming a household name in 2006 for her starring role on the NBC hit series, “Heroes.”
The actress claimed she has dated women but has never fallen in love with another female.
Panettiere said her fame played a role in her decision not to reveal her personal details previously.
“I was much more into women even as a child than I was men,” she said.
“It was scary, though, because there were paparazzi always waiting for me outside, to follow me everywhere. I had very little privacy. I have dated women.”
“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.”
The actress continued, “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.” (RELATED: ‘Friends’ Actress Lisa Kudrow Says Writers Would Discuss Sexual Fantasies About Female Co-Stars)
Panettiere’s memoir takes a deep dive into her issues with postpartum depression, pill dependency and addiction, as well as giving up custody of her daughter amid her personal struggles. The book is slated for release May 12.