Close costars. Nashville star Charles Esten opened up to Us Weekly exclusively about his friendship with Hayden Panettiere and gave an update on how she is doing after seeking treatment for postpartum depression.
“One thing about Hayden is Hayden Panettiere was the first person I met on Nashville,” Esten told Us. “Now, I’d known Eric Close, actually, years before, but at my audition, I was in a room, about this size again, and I did a couple scenes and I played a couple songs and said thank you. I walked out the door, and Hayden was right outside the door, with her ear to it, in a very Juliette kind of way.”
He continued, “And she was just the nicest person. She said, ‘That was so good,’ and I go, ‘Oh, well, nice to meet you.’ I’m thinking, save the cheerleader, save the world. I knew who she was, she didn’t know who I was. But she couldn’t have been kinder, and afterwards I was sort of blowing smoke, joking around. I said, ‘See you on the set.’ I was nowhere near landing that role yet, but it turned out to be the case. It’s the best, and we’ve been buddies ever since.”
As previously reported, Panettiere — who shares daughter Kaya, 3, with Ukrainian boxer fiancé Wladimir Klitschko — sought treatment for her postpartum depression in October 2015, nearly one year after giving birth to her little girl. In May 2016, she revealed via Twitter that she was still suffering from the disorder and took time off from work to “reflect holistically.”
Esten gave Us an update on the Heroes alum when asked if she is doing well. “Oh yeah, as far as I saw. She’s been doing great when I saw her,” Esten said.
Nashville‘s final season is currently airing on CMT Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
