Hayden Panettiere Comes Out as Bisexual

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Hayden Panettiere is sharing her full self with the world.

The actress, known for her role in Heroes, recently revealed she is bisexual. She shares this personal detail for the first time in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which comes out on May 12th, and discusses how her understanding of her sexuality has changed over the years while being in the public eye.

In a recent interview with Us Weekly published on May 6th, she publicly came out as bisexual, explaining that she felt ready to share this part of herself now that her book is being released. ‘I said it!’ she exclaimed, noting it was the first time she’d spoken the words out loud.

For most of her 36 years, she kept her true self hidden, unable to share her story with others.

She said the timing never felt right. When she was younger, there was immense pressure to be perfect, and she wasn’t allowed to simply be herself. Later, she felt like some people dismissed bisexuality or attraction to other women as just a passing trend.

She explained she hesitated to speak up because she didn’t want to appear as though she was just following what others were saying. It was a sensitive subject, and she found it hard to put her feelings into words. She wished she’d been able to share this part of herself sooner, but she was glad she was finally being open about it, even if it took until she was 36.

Hayden revealed she’s dated women, but being a public figure complicated those relationships.

She described feeling frightened because paparazzi constantly waited for her and followed her everywhere, leaving her with almost no privacy. She also shared that she has dated women and felt a stronger attraction to them even when she was young.

This helps explain why the singer, who has an 11-year-old daughter named Kaya with her former partner Wladimir Klitschko, hasn’t felt prepared to fully commit to a romantic relationship with a woman before now.

I’ve definitely thought about opening up, but I kept it to myself for so long that I was scared to really let myself feel anything. I just didn’t want to be in a position where I’d have to hide falling in love – it felt too risky to be vulnerable when I hadn’t shared this part of myself with anyone.

Although the former Scream star has openly discussed her personal challenges, like her past addiction and recovery, she was still unsure about sharing the details of her life in a book.

“I was really scared,” Hayden confessed. “My first thought was whether I was prepared to write a book about everything I’d been through. But then I started reflecting on my life, and I realized it was full of unbelievable stories – even stranger than anything you’d find in a novel. I had a lot to share.”

That idea inspired her to start writing. She explained, “I hope sharing these stories in this book will help others get through difficult times.”

For more stars who have come out publicly, read on.

In a 2016 interview with Variety, Miley Cyrus discussed when she realized she was pansexual. She explained that visiting an LGBTQ center in Los Angeles and hearing people’s stories was pivotal. She was particularly struck by someone who didn’t identify with a specific gender, seeing in them a captivating blend of traditionally masculine and feminine qualities. She felt a deeper connection to this person than she had with anyone else in her life.

In the spring 2016 issue of Dazed magazine, reality TV star and YouTuber Jazz Jennings discussed her journey with her sexuality. She explained that being pansexual, to her, means loving someone for who they are as a person, regardless of gender. She added, “I guess I am pansexual, but I don’t know because I haven’t fallen in love yet.”

During a confessional on The Challenge: Final Reckoning, the reality star came out as pansexual, stating they were comfortable with their identity.

Last year, the actress from Orange is the New Black told the Huffington Post that she identifies as pansexual, meaning she’s capable of being attracted to people of any gender, and has always felt this way.

At the 2014 GLAAD Awards, AfterEllen.com asked the actress from Reign if she identified as pansexual. She replied that she did, stating, “It’s not a big deal to me. I don’t see a difference between being attracted to men or women.”

I was so thrilled to read in Rolling Stone last April that she’s been exploring her identity! She shared that while she’d previously identified as bisexual, learning about pansexuality really resonated with her – she said it felt like those labels finally fit. It’s amazing to see her openly say she’s still figuring things out and is excited to learn more about herself. It’s incredibly inspiring!

In a 2014 interview with HungerTV, the American actress shared that she identifies as a feminist, young, and part of the LGBTQ+ community. She’s since realized she feels more accurately described as pansexual, and while she’s still exploring her identity, her core message remains consistent.

Two years ago, the actress known for her role in The Hunger Games explained her sexuality in a video for Rookie. She said she identifies as pansexual, but often uses the term bisexual because she thinks it’s a more widely understood label for people unfamiliar with different sexual orientations.

In a recent interview with Attitude Magazine, the winner of Celebrity Big Brother and a finalist on RuPaul’s Drag Race openly discussed her sexual identity. She explained that she identifies as pansexual not because of fleeting attraction, but because she’s had both sexual and emotional relationships with women and remains open to that possibility in the future.

As a long-time fan, I was so touched to read Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco finally talk about his sexuality in a recent interview with Paper Magazine. He basically said he doesn’t really focus on labels, but if pressed, he’d identify as pansexual because, for him, a person’s character is what truly matters. He even described it as his way of coming out, which felt incredibly genuine and brave.

 

In 2013, while speaking with Fusion TV, the rapper was asked if she considered herself pansexual. She replied that, if she had to label her sexuality, ‘pansexual’ would be the most accurate description.

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2026-05-06 16:17