Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson’s Relationship Timeline: Their Ups and Downs Through the Years

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Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson's Relationship Timeline: Their Ups and Downs Through the Years

Before her death, Hayden Panettiere was in a tumultuous on-off relationship with Brian Hickerson. Panettiere moved on with Hickerson in 2018 after her split from fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. The actress and Klitschko began dating in 2009. The pair briefly broke up in 2011 but got engaged two years later. They welcomed daughter Kaya in December 2014. Hickerson and Panettiere, meanwhile, faced their own challenges. In October 2018, Hickerson was involved in an altercation with his father, and months later, the actor was arrested for domestic violence due to an alleged incident with Panettiere. Hickerson was charged with felony domestic violence later that month and ordered to stay away from Panettiere and not contact her. The pair split after a domestic violence incident in February 2020, and five months later, Hickerson was charged with eight counts of domestic violence and assault. Charges against Hickerson were dropped the following year. He was arrested again in 2020 after allegedly punching Panettiere in the face. Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend, and his remaining six counts of domestic violence and assault were dismissed. Hickerson served 33 days in prison and was also placed on four years of probation and required to pay a $500 fine. “Getting an abusive person out of your life is like trying to rip a weed out that is so entangled into your life,” Panettiere told Us about her complicated relationship with Hickerson in her May 2026 cover story. “Every time you pull it out, another weed pops back up and you’re like, ‘I thought I killed this.’ They always manage to find a way to slither back into your life, even if you’re an incredibly strong-willed person.” News broke in August 2026 that Panettiere died at age 36. TMZ reported that Panettiere traveled from Los Angeles to the south with Hickerson one day before her death. Scroll to revisit Panettiere’s relationship timeline with Hickerson: 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.

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August 2018

A source confirmed to Us that Panettiere was dating Hickerson following her split from Klitschko. The couple sparked romance rumors in August when they were spotted holding hands in West Hollywood. Another insider divulged that the twosome had been together “for a couple of months,” adding: “They both party together and are having fun.”

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September 2018

Nearly two months later, the pair were “getting serious,” according to a source. “She joined him on a trip from L.A. to South Carolina last week to meet up with his family and friends. They are full steam ahead!”

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October 2018

Police in South Carolina responded after receiving a call about “a domestic assault in progress” involving Hickerson and his dad. An incident report obtained by Us stated that Panettiere “appeared to be frantic” and “intoxicated.” Her boyfriend denied assaulting his father, while his dad told authorities that his injuries were caused by “a fall and not an assault.”

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November 2018

An insider revealed to Us that the Scream 4 actress’ friends were worried about her relationship with Hickerson, with an insider referring to the pairing as “not a healthy situation.”

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November 2018

Hickerson made a scene at a Hollywood bar when he jokingly shouted, “Everyone shut the F up! I’m about to propose to my girlfriend. Dakota Fanning, will you marry me?” Panettiere was seen laughing in a video obtained by TMZ.

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February 2019

Us reported that Kaya lived in Ukraine with her dad, meaning the Remember the Titans actress did not have “much time” with her daughter. “She knows the child being with her is not best for [Kaya right now],” a source told Us. “It’s a sad situation.”

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February 2019

Panettiere looked toward her future with Hickerson when asked whether she would marry him someday. “I think so,” she told Us. “I hope so.” She also gushed about their connection, “I’ve lived a big life. I’ve met a lot of people. I learn something new from [Brian] every day, and that’s something that not many people can provide me with.” The Bring It On: All or Nothing star elaborated that she liked to spend time with her boyfriend “being low key, being mellow, having experiences, having conversations, really in-depth conversations.”

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May 2019

The aspiring actor was arrested for domestic violence after police found “redness and marks” on Panettiere’s body following an argument, TMZ reported. Less than two weeks later, the duo were spotted holding hands while out for coffee.

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May 2019

Hickerson was charged with felony domestic violence, while a judge granted a protective order requested by prosecutors. The document stated that he could not come within 100 yards of the Guiding Light alum, nor contact her. The prosecutor accused the South Carolina native of hitting Panettiere “on the face, causing her to get dizzy.”

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February 2020

Hickerson was arrested in Wyoming on Valentine's Day following an alleged domestic dispute with Panettiere. Police told TMZ that the pair got into a fight in which he allegedly struck her "with a closed fist on the right side of her face." He was later released on a $5,000 bond.

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July 2020

Five months after the alleged domestic violence incident and the couple's split, Panettiere got an out-of-state protective order against her ex. On July 16, Hickerson was charged with eight counts of domestic violence and assault. The felony counts were for incidents in May 2019, December 2019 and January 2020 and included two charges for felony assault with a deadly weapon and one count of felony dissuading a witness from prosecuting a crime. According to prosecutors, Hickerson unlawfully attempted to "prevent and dissuade Hayden P., a victim and witness of a crime from causing a complaint, indictment, information, probation and parole violation to be sought and prosecuted and assisting in the prosecution thereof."

"I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve," she told Us in a statement on July 17. "I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I'm grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life."

Hickerson pleaded not guilty. He faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and eight months if convicted on all charges.

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August 2020

On August 10, a source revealed that a warrant for Hickerson's arrest was put out in all 50 states after he was accused of influencing or intimidating a witness in Teton County, Wyoming. One week later, Us exclusively reported that he had allegedly threatened to share "embarrassing" information about Panettiere months earlier if his charges weren't dropped. "He had direct communication with Hayden," a source said. "Brian threatened to release certain information if she didn’t drop the charges. Specifically, he threatened to release videos of her." Hickerson turned himself into the Teton County jail on August 19 and was released on a $25,000 bond the day after his arrest.

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April 2021

Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts in a Los Angeles court on April 20 and was sentenced to 45 days in county jail, stemming from his May 2019 arrest. The remaining six counts were dismissed.

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April 2021

On April 23, Hickerson pleaded no contest to charges of domestic battery and intimidating a witness stemming from his two Wyoming cases in February 2020 and June 2020. He was sentenced to 360 days in jail for the intimidating a witness charge and 180 days for the domestic battery charge. However, both were suspended because of a "global agreement" reached between prosecutors and public defenders in Wyoming and Los Angeles, since he was sentenced earlier that week for his L.A. crime.

Due to the 12 credits that he has, Hickerson will serve 33 days and must turn himself into the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles by May 7.

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July 2021

After Hickerson was released from jail, Panettiere was spotted line dancing with him at a bar in Los Angeles. An insider told Us at the time that the duo also met up again days later to watch the NBA finals. “To clarify, I was enjoying a [beer] and Hayden was not drinking,” Hickerson told E! News of the outing. “We went to a new restaurant that is Texas-based, and being a Southern guy, I’m a big fan of country music. So yes, there was some line dancing involved. Hayden and I are not back together but are working on a friendship.”

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March 2022

Panettiere was knocked to the ground while trying to break up a fight between Hickerson and patrons at the Sunset Marquis hotel in Los Angeles, but a rep for the actress said she was unharmed. The on-and-off couple were dining at the hotel’s restaurant when Hickerson “made a comment to an individual about leaving the waitress a poor tip,” Panettiere’s representative told Us at the time. “That same individual along with the group he was with began badgering and shoving Brian at which point security pushed everyone outside.”

An insider told Us that Panettiere believes Hickerson has "changed for the better" despite the altercation. "Hayden says people can learn from their mistakes," the source added, claiming that the Lip Sync Battle alum has started cutting "anti-Brian" people from her life. "She's become secretive with other friends," the insider said. "She takes ages to respond and sends one-word answers by text and cryptic messages.”

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April 2023

“I did not do any of this lightly,” the actress told The New York Times about reconnecting with Hickerson after their public ups and downs. “He knows he deserved what happened to him."

The Scream VI star noted that their reconciliation was “contingent on him continuing" on his road of recovery, adding, “There are feelings there, yes." 

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March 2026

The former couple were spotted together at an airport. Panettiere was on crutches with 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 told Us.

According to Panettiere’s rep, the actress had attended a fan convention 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.

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May 2026

Panettiere spoke to Us about including details about her relationship with Hickerson — and the subsequent abuse — in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. 

“It was brutal. It was traumatic. It was emotional. It was important for me to word that experience properly,” Panettiere exclusively told Us. “I needed to believe that it happened for a reason. For something so horrible to happen, the only thing that I could think of to make it all worth it, was [to] let people know that they’re not alone and help people.”

She noted: “[I’m] making sure that the people that have gone through similar things, don’t feel like they’re alone, and don’t feel like nobody understands them and knows that there’s somebody out there who went through it. And even though it took her years to truly get herself out of the situation, it’s possible. You can do it.”

Hickerson, meanwhile, spoke out about the past abuse.

“Man, I mean, I think it speaks for itself … I got arrested for abusing her,” Hickerson said in an interview with TMZ that same month. “And I wouldn’t blame her friends for being pissed off at me. ... I had a lot to drink and I got physical with her. I got arrested. I spent the night in jail and that’s just what happens when you lay hands on women.”

Hickerson said he “had a couple opportunities to apologize” to Panettiere for what happened. 

“Our relationship now is … I think it’s just a mutual respect thing. She’ll always hold a special place in my heart and, you know, I hope the same for her,” he said. “We’re just good buddies.”

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May 2026

Hickerson told TMZ that he still had hope for a future with Panettiere, saying, “I hope so, [but] she probably doesn’t think the same way. I think Hayden is one of most talented people I’ve ever met in my life, and I would be an idiot not to walk away from her and let her flourish in her career.”

He added that he “of course” thought about marrying the actress but admitted that he and Panettiere “probably wouldn’t be good together.” Panettiere had a different reaction. 

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Panettiere told the outlet, laughing off the wedding comment. “It’s [not] gonna happen."