Hayden Panettiere‘s ex is turning his family battle into a feud triangle.
Brian Hickersonwho had a tumultuous relationship with the actress from 2018 to 2022, defended her against her ex-mother. The former lovers’ relationship has seen many hiccups, including multiple incidents of domestic violence.
Hayden Panettiere’s ex’s voice was heard shortly after her mother, Lesley Vogel, shot down her daughter’s allegations about their dysfunctional relationship in her upcoming memoir, which will be released on May 19.
Hayden Panettiere’s ex attacks her ‘terrible’ mother
Hickerson dove headlong into the ongoing bitter mother-daughter feud between his ex and her estranged mother.
He didn’t hesitate to deliver his words after Vogel publicly addressed his daughter’s intentions to publish her memoir “This Is Me: A Reckoning.” Vogel further questioned the “Nashville” star’s decision to speak openly about his sexuality.
The actor shared his thoughts on TMZ while reacting to Vogel’s recent comments, including his suggestion that the timing of Panettiere’s release had more to do with promoting his new book.
When asked if Hickerson knew about his ex’s bisexuality, he simply replied, “Yeah. Hayden likes beautiful people.”
Focusing on his ex’s mother, the “MFA” actor said, “Hayden’s mother is by far one of the worst people I’ve ever met in my life.” He continued, without holding back, saying, “I just can’t with her. She’s horrible.”
A look at the memoir “This Is Me: A Reckoning”
Panettiere’s memoir has already made headlines as it reportedly details her family trauma, the severing of ties with her mother, her past abusive relationships, including with Hickerson, and her struggles with addiction.
She recently revealed that she felt obligated to keep parts of her identity private while growing up in Hollywood under her mother’s guidance.
Vogel served as her daughter’s manager from her appearance in commercials as a child to appearances on shows like “Guiding Light,” “One Life to Live” and “Remember the Titans.”
Their relationship slowly evolved into a professional one, such that when Panettiere ended their collaboration as professional partners at age 19, there was nothing left for the mother-daughter duo to bond over.
The actress recalled how desperate she was to gain her mother’s approval at the time, emphasizing that she had to make sure her mother was happy with her work. “If I didn’t do it right, I got in trouble… It wasn’t a good reaction,” the “Heroes” star detailed.
Lesley Vogel says she was traumatized by her daughter
The mother applauded her daughter’s account in the soon-to-be-published memoir. She accused Panettiere of causing her emotional pain, saying she had “20 years of trauma” to show for it.
Vogel also suggested that the book was written for publicity purposes and not with sincere motives to tell his story. In addition to these claims, she said she had invested years of effort trying to support and encourage her daughter to no avail, which fueled her decision to cut off all communication with the actress.
The Blast earlier reported that Vogel criticized the memoir by identifying a pattern of behavior centered on control, entitlement and a lack of compassion for others in the “Nashville” star. The mom noted that people with the personality type her daughter would struggle with often hide behind the curtains because they are deeply afraid of their true colors being exposed.
Hayden Panettiere’s ex still has hope
Hickerson revealed that he always saw a future with the artist despite their on-and-off relationship dynamic.
He told the media during a recent interview for his ex’s upcoming book, and when asked if he had ever considered saying his vows with Panettiere, he took his feelings on his sleeve.
“Yeah, sure,” Hickerson replied when asked about marriage. “I hope so…she probably doesn’t think the same thing,” he said, before explaining why a union seems irrelevant.
The “MFA” actor described his ex as very talented, noting that he “would be a fool not to walk away from her and let her flourish in her career.”
According to The Blast, the former lovers rekindled their friendship and Hickerson admitted to playing a major role in their split.
At the time, he was swimming in a sea of vices, including alcohol and drug abuse, legal dramas involving prison sentences and domestic violence accusations.
Details of the ex-lovers’ heated argument graced the pages of Panettiere’s upcoming memoir, including a drunken exchange during which Hickerson threatened to throw his phone at the actress.
Hayden Panettiere had to make an “incredibly difficult” decision
Panettiere’s struggles with addiction and postpartum depression led her to a crossroads where she had to give up custody of her only daughter.
The actress welcomed her child, Kaya, with ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko, who lives in Ukraine. After ending their romantic relationship, they reportedly remained on good terms.
Struggling to emerge from the darkness filled with anxiety, alcoholism and drug addiction, she decided the best decision for her daughter at the time was to stay with her father.
Panettiere admitted she needed help and decided to seek treatment before officially finalizing the custody agreement in 2018.
The Blast shared that the actress was criticized for her decision, as many accused her of abandoning her child despite being fully aware of her personal challenges.
The “Heroes” actress praised Klitschko for being an “amazing father” who agreed to take Kaya in while she dealt with her battles.
