How Stephen Colletti Helped Ex Hayden Panettiere Navigate Early Fame

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Stephen Colletti was Hayden Panettiere’s hero back in the day.

The Heroes actress revealed that her former boyfriend, from Laguna Beach, was very protective of her when she was a young star dealing with the paparazzi and public attention. They dated for almost two years in the mid-2000s.

Hayden, 36, told Us Weekly that she’s thankful he was in her life, particularly during their relationship. She explained that being with him was when she first began navigating the challenges of fame, including dealing with paparazzi and tabloid attention.

Stephen was used to his relationships being public – he’d previously dated both Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari during his time on Laguna Beach. Because of this experience, he taught Hayden how to deal with the media in a calm and careful way.

She explained that he never seemed like a bad person, so she believed it was possible to protect yourself and set limits without being unkind or disrespectful.

Although Kate Hayden and her ex-partner broke up in 2007, they ended things amicably. They’ve stayed friendly over the years, and she recently saw him – he married Alex Weaver last October.

Hayden shared that she believes he’s expecting a child and expressed her happiness for him. While they haven’t stayed in close contact as much as she’d like – she thinks highly of him and wants to emphasize their parting was amicable, without any conflict.

Stephen isn’t the only ex that Nashville star Hayley Panettiere has stayed friendly with. She’s also remained on good terms with Milo Ventimiglia and Scotty McKnight. Most notably, she has a positive relationship with her former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she shares her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya.

Even though Hayden and her partner split in 2018 after a nine-year relationship, she’s talked about how they’ve successfully created a positive co-parenting relationship while raising their daughter.

She told us that despite no longer being a couple, they still share a connection and can work together to raise their daughter. She emphasized that their split doesn’t mean they don’t love their daughter or that she’s not safe.

Hayden isn’t the only star who has formed a new kind of bond with an ex, keep reading for more…

They are definitely not getting back together. However, with all the recent interactions – birthday celebrations, affectionate hugs, and even playfully acting out a romantic scene in a virtual performance of Fast Times at Ridgemont High – it feels like they’re just teasing everyone who still hopes for a reconciliation.

It takes a certain level of confidence to playfully tease your ex on his own show. That’s exactly what Sarah did when she appeared on Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show to promote her new series, I Love You, America. She jokingly ribbed Jimmy about his wife, Molly Kimmel, saying, “It’s not fair! She gets the updated, more aware Jimmy. I only got the Man Show Jimmy.”

 

Honestly, some people seemed more upset about this breakup than the couple themselves! When Anna—who is now married to Michael Barrett—found out Chris Pratt was marrying Katherine Schwarzenegger in 2019, she volunteered to perform the ceremony. She even sent a gift when their daughter, Lyla, was born in August 2020. A source told TopMob News that Anna was “very supportive” and happy for her son, Jack, to have a little sister.

Their breakup could have easily led to disaster, but four years later, these HGTV stars are thriving. They’re successfully co-parenting their children, Taylor and Brayden, and continuing to renovate dilapidated houses into beautiful homes for others.

Lenny Kravitz and his ex-wife, actress Zoë Kravitz’s mother, describe their relationship as a close, familial bond – what he called “best friends” in a 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey. Despite their divorce and her subsequent marriage to and split from Jason Momoa in 2020, they maintain a positive and unified family dynamic. As Lenny put it, it’s a “beautiful” example of what’s possible when people prioritize connection.

Since announcing their split in 2020, the Dancing With the Stars co-host and her former hockey player husband have consistently shown they remain friendly with each other.

When Brooks announced he was getting engaged to Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir in December 2024, Julianne shared her excitement on Instagram. She wrote a message wishing them both a lifetime of happiness, fun, and adventure as they start this new chapter together.

The dancer, her ex-husband, and his pregnant fiancée spent a day together at the lake. She shared a photo of the four of them, calling them “three cuties” and describing it as a special day.

After separating in 2015, the parents of Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel have successfully co-parented, managing to share vacations, holidays, and publicly praise each other. Ben even called his ex-partner “an amazing mother” in a 2016 interview with TopMob News.

Nina and Ian dated for three years before breaking up in 2013, but they stayed friends. The following year, Nina began dating Nikki Reed and they quickly got married. As a result, Nina became friends with Nikki, who is known for her role in the Twilight films.

The couple ended their five-year relationship in July 2016. The singer later shared on Howard Stern’s radio show in October that she remained very close to her ex, describing him as both a former lover and a long-time friend.

“We love each other,” she said. “That’s it.”

Even years after The Office ended in 2013, the chemistry between its stars remained apparent, and Mindy Kaling understands why fans still root for them as a couple. In a 2019 interview with Good Housekeeping, she explained that while choosing him to be a godparent to her children, she’d feel the same way if she were an outside observer. However, she clarified that their relationship has evolved into something even deeper than friendship – they’re practically family now.

After their divorce was finalized in 2011, the former couple easily continued to raise their son, Bronx. The Fall Out Boy singer has publicly praised his ex-wife, calling her a fantastic mother.

Looks like she’s moved on from those past rumors! The singer from the Jonas Brothers recently mentioned he and his ex are on good terms. He described their connection as a friendly and positive one.

Jennifer and her Dexter co-star first connected on the set of the show in 2006, and their relationship became romantic two years later. Even after their divorce in 2011, Jennifer has said they remained friendly and supportive of each other.

Bruce Willis and Demi Moore are famously friendly exes, and their daughters – Rumer, Tallulah, and Scout – have helped them maintain that bond. So, it wasn’t surprising when they decided to spend the COVID-19 lockdown together in Idaho. Sounds like they even had some fun, maybe with a dance party!

Four years after her 2014 divorce, Jennifer Lopez still spoke highly of her ex-husband, and the father of her twins, Max and Emme. In a 2018 interview on Sunday Today, she shared how Marc Anthony boosted her confidence during their marriage. He encouraged her to believe in her singing talent, telling her, ‘You’re a great singer. Don’t ever let anybody tell you you’re not.’ Lopez expressed deep respect for him, considering him one of the greatest singers ever.

Despite facing personal challenges, the actress remains supportive of her ex-husband and former Scream colleague. Eight years after their 2010 divorce, she described it as “one of the better ones,” while appearing on Running Wild With Bear Grylls. She added that they successfully co-parent their daughter, Coco.

Although their relationship ended in 2007, they still had great chemistry on screen when they starred together in the 2011 film Bad Teacher.

Okay, so things were hard after the split in 2013, obviously, but it’s amazing to me how far they’ve come! I was SO excited to read in LaPalme Magazine that they’re at the point where they can go on vacation together! He even said he genuinely likes her husband, Dave Abrams, which is incredible! Apparently, they all went to Cancun in 2017 – him, her, Dave, and even his fiancée, Lily Anne Harrison, with their adorable daughters, Luca, Lola, and Fiona. It just warms my heart! He explained it perfectly – sometimes people are meant to come into your life, and relationships evolve. He said just because they don’t live together doesn’t mean the love is gone, and honestly, that’s everything I needed to hear. It’s just…beautiful.

Even though they unexpectedly separated in September 2012, the couple worked hard to appear supportive of each other for the sake of their children. In a 2014 interview with Howard Stern, she explained that she and Will remained very close friends and were successfully co-parenting. She didn’t view their ten-year marriage as a failure, believing that all relationships face challenges.

Okay, so I’m completely obsessed with this artist, and it’s just SO heartwarming to see how she and her ex are handling things! Even after their divorce was finalized in January, they’re still amazing parents to little Hayes. And get this – they actually live just five minutes away from each other! Can you believe it? It makes co-parenting so much easier for them, and honestly, it’s just lovely to see them prioritizing their son like that.

“Our stops are really easy,” Maren told The Zoe Report in May 2025, “and we’ll have family dinners.”

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2026-05-08 18:48