Hayden Panettiere claims the “Oscar-winning actor and director” exposed himself to her when she was 19 years old.
The 36-year-old “Nashville” actress details in her newly published memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, that the shocking situation occurred after a friend invited her to an “industry” party at her apartment in Los Feliz, California.
She recalls immediately feeling uncomfortable when she realized that the party consisted of just her, her friend, and “a small group of men gathered together.”
“These men seemed a little too comfortable around me, as if they knew something I didn’t,” she wrote.
She further elaborated that about 30 minutes later, as she was about to say goodbye to her friend, the Oscar winner approached her.
The man allegedly wished her goodnight and warned her: “Someone has spit out gum somewhere, so be careful when you go out. I got gum on my pants,” before telling her to look down.
“I looked down and stepped back,” she wrote. “This acclaimed, award-winning actor’s testicles were dangling from his unzipped fly.
“Men in Hollywood have always treated me with kindness and respect. There may have been pecks on the lips and inappropriate comments, but nothing that crossed the line.”
She added that the incident “didn’t hurt me” but was “shocked.”
Elsewhere in the book, the “Bring It On” star details her physically violent relationship with ex Brian Hickerson, which was marred by multiple domestic violence incidents and arrests.
Panettiere also opened up about her relationship with her Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia, whom she dated when she was 18 and he was 29. comes out as bisexual and writes about his complicated relationship with his estranged mother, Leslie Vogel.
Ms. Vogel, who was also her daughter’s manager, has since hit back at Ms. Panettiere’s recollections on the press tour, telling Page Six exclusively that she believes “part of the current drama is to sell books.”
This Is Me: A Reckoning is in theaters now.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call our Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
