Hayden Panettiere is speaking out after she was spotted arriving at the airport on crutches with Brian Hickerson by her side.
“Hayden has been privately managing a temporary nerve condition, which is the reason she was seen using crutches. She is recovering well and is on the mend,” a rep for Panettiere, 36, exclusively told Luxury Handbag Shopping in a statement after TMZ published photos of the pair.
According to Panettiere’s rep, the actress had attended a fan convention over the weekend with fellow cast members from Scream and “had a wonderful time connecting with fans.”
“Regarding recent speculation, Hayden is not in a romantic relationship with Brian Hickerson — the two remain friends,” the statement read.
Panettiere and Hickerson started dating in 2018 after her split from fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. The pair have faced ups and downs, with Hickerson being arrested for domestic violence in 2018 after an alleged argument, but the charges against him were eventually dropped.
The actor was arrested again in July 2020, resulting in him serving 33 days in prison. He was also placed on four years of probation and required to pay a $500 fine.
Panettiere’s recent outing with Hickerson comes weeks after Us exclusively revealed the cover for her debut memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which is set to be released on May 12. Panettiere told Us in January that it’s both “exciting and liberating” knowing people will read her story later this year.
“It’s certainly daunting to put my life on full display for the world to read,” Panettiere explained. “Writing a memoir wasn’t something I thought I’d do, or at least, not while I was still so young.”
Panettiere, who made her acting debut as a baby, took a hiatus from 2018 until she returned to the big screen in and reprised her role as Kirby Reed in the Scream film franchise.
“Going through challenges is daunting enough in the spotlight where everyone feels entitled to the details of your life, but those challenges I’ve faced have made me stronger,” Panettiere told Us about her book. “Every moment of our life and every person we meet along the way is a lesson.”
While balancing her return to acting, Panettiere has also been raising her daughter, whom she welcomed in December 2014 with ex Klitschko.
“Though my circumstances may be different, the obstacles I’ve faced are no different than what many others face daily,” she concluded. “Our world could use more empathy and compassion, and I hope that my book ignites that in others — while also entertaining them, of course.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
