Hayden Panettiere name-dropped several celebrity friends and exes in debut memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning.
“I think people will be surprised by what they learn,” Panettiere, 36, told Us Weekly in her cover story published in May 2026, revealing that she was “terrified” to tell her story.
“The first thought that went through my head is, ‘Am I ready to write a book about my life?’” the actress shared. “Then I started thinking through my life and going, ‘Gosh, truth is stranger than fiction. I have so many stories already to share.’ I hope that by sharing them in this book, that it helps people to overcome the obstacles they’re going through.”
Panettiere experienced several ups and downs throughout her life, which are discussed at length in the book. But she also reflected on stories involving other stars.
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of the biggest celebrity name drops from Panettiere’s memoir:
The ‘Panic Room’ Movie Experience
Panettiere wrote that she was cast as Nicole Kidman’s daughter in the movie Panic Room. After Kidman hurt herself on set, she was forced to pull out of the role, which halted production. There was apparently a conversation about Angelina Jolie joining the film.
Eventually, Jodie Foster replaced Kidman in the film. However, Panettiere was also recast with Kristen Stewart. According to Panettiere’s book, producers didn’t think she looked enough like Foster.
She wrote that she “never got an explanation as to why, and at the time, I accepted it, even though I was incredibly sad.”
Reflecting on a Relationship with Stephen Colletti
At the height of Heroes and Laguna Beach, Panettiere recalled Stephen Colletti being her “first Hollywood boyfriend.”
The actress wrote that she “didn’t really” watch his show when it was on TV. However, Panettiere saw him in a magazine and her publicist introduced them.
Hayden Panettiere has had quite the career — and her personal life has been just as captivating. The Golden Globe-nominated actress started modeling at 5 months old and appeared in her first commercial when she was 11 months old. Her big break came in 1994 when she began playing Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live at […]
Being Around Lindsay Lohan
Panettiere wrote that it was “mesmerizing” watching Lindsay Lohan during the early 2000s.
“I was around 13 when I first met Lindsay and she’d always been warm and friendly with me, but I thought of her as one of the consummate cool girls,” the actress recalled. “She always seemed completely in her element, talking to anyone and everyone. I remember watching her in awe from across the room, and I was convinced she was born to be in situations like this.”
Dating ‘Heroes’ Costar Milo Ventimiglia
Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia “became a thing” while doing international press for Heroes. She was 18 at the time and their age gap made major headlines. Eventually he broke up with her.
Looking back, Panettiere knew she “wasn’t really in love with Milo” but it was “something stable” in her life at the time. “He’d pulled the rug out from under me,” she wrote.
Crossing Paths With Anthony Kiedis
The actress recalled chatting with the Red Hot Chili Peppers singer, noting that “he was way too old for me” in the book. Panettiere claimed that she and Kiedis were on the verge of crossing a line from “harmless flirtation into something more intentional.”
Some Very Famous Neighbors
Panettiere recalled living close by Bill Murray and Bjork when moving to a house in Congers, New York.
Joining the ‘Scream’ Franchise
Panettiere worked with longtime friends Emma Roberts and Rory Culkin on Scream 4 when making her debut as Kirby Reed. Neve Campbell rented a property with cottages on it for the cast where she did mushrooms with her friends and invited David Arquette over.
Filming ‘Nashville’ With Connie Britton
The actress noted that working on Nashville was different from Heroes. They were not “one big happy family,” she wrote. Panettiere noted that she wasn’t close to anyone on the cast and “couldn’t figure it out.”
Elsewhere, she also discussed the dynamic she shared with costar Connie Britton, revealing that she grew concerned over her character Juliette Barnes’ rivalry with Britton’s Rayna James.
“My character wasn’t intended to be the show’s star — not even close,” Panettiere wrote. “That honor went to Connie, whose Rayna Jaymes was in the twilight of her career, facing a dramatic turning point thanks to yours truly.”
She continued, “Unfortunately, after the pilot, it was clear that my billing had gone way up. I went from maybe number five in terms of importance to nipping at Connie’s heels. I was deeply uncomfortable with this development.”
