Brian Hickerson says he hopes to reconcile with Hayden Panettiere and dreams of marriage, while her memoir release nears.
Hayden Panettiere’s relationship story with Brian Hickerson is taking another turn, with the actress’s ex expressing that he still hopes for marriage—while also acknowledging that a reunion may not be healthy.
In a conversation with TMZ on Wednesday, May 13, Brian Hickerson, 37, was asked about the possibility of reconciliation.. He said, “I hope so,” adding that he thinks Panettiere may not feel the same way.. He framed his feelings around admiration. calling the actress “one of the most talented people I’ve ever met” and saying he would be “an idiot” to not let her “flourish” in her career.
Hickerson also suggested that even if reconciliation were on the table, it might not work for both of them. He acknowledged that they “probably wouldn’t be good together” if they reunited, pointing to a mutual mismatch even as he voiced his respect for her.
The romance between the Nashville alum and Hickerson began in 2018. but their relationship became defined by serious allegations and legal consequences in the years that followed.. The following year. Hickerson was arrested after an alleged domestic violence incident involving Panettiere. after which he was charged with felony domestic violence and ordered to stay away from her.. Those charges were later dropped.
The legal troubles did not end there. In 2020, Hickerson was arrested again following another domestic violence altercation involving Panettiere. He served 33 days in prison, was placed on four years of probation, and was ordered to pay a $500 fine.
As Panettiere prepares to publish her memoir. This Is Me: A Reckoning. the subject of their past relationship remains front and center.. Earlier, Hickerson addressed abuse allegations in separate remarks tied to the memoir’s buildup.. He told TMZ on Tuesday. May 12 that getting arrested for abusing her “speaks for itself. ” adding that he was arrested for abusing Panettiere.
Hickerson also spoke about why he thinks people should engage with her tell-all. He said, “I think everyone should read it,” and noted that the domestic violence details appear “like, [on] page 272,” encouraging readers to confront the vulnerability involved in the story.
In his latest comments, he positioned their current connection as something grounded more in respect than romance.. He said their dynamic is rooted in “mutual respect. ” describing Panettiere as someone who “will always hold a special place in” his heart.. He added that he sees her as a “good bud” and said he misses her “every day.”
Panettiere, meanwhile, has repeatedly returned to the emotional reality of that relationship in anticipation of the book’s release.. In an Us Weekly cover story published earlier this month. she described the subject as “very embarrassing. ” saying that the idea of her allowing something like that to happen “blew [her] mind.” She also said that people close to her were shocked by her experience.
She characterized her feelings as humiliating and embarrassing. explaining that she didn’t want others to know and wanted people to know “as little as possible.” That portrayal. paired with her upcoming memoir’s focus. is likely to shape how readers understand both her resilience and the private cost of what she describes.
Outside of the memoir, Panettiere has also discussed their relationship in connection with sobriety.. During a profile for the New York Times published Tuesday. April 4. she addressed her decision to reconnect with Hickerson after both became sober. while Hickerson described being in “such a dark place” at the time.. Those details provide added context for why reconciliation conversations continue to surface even as the past remains unresolved in the public eye.
This Is Me: A Reckoning is scheduled to be released on Tuesday. May 19. and it arrives at a moment when public interest in their past is peaking.. For audiences. the timing means that Hickerson’s hopes for marriage and his reflections on the memoir are landing alongside Panettiere’s own account—making the release feel less like a standalone literary moment and more like a continuation of a long-running. emotionally charged story.
Given the serious nature of the allegations described in the relationship’s history. the discussion surrounding the memoir also carries a broader reminder about the importance of support for anyone affected by domestic violence.. 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.
Hayden Panettiere Brian Hickerson memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning domestic violence allegations celebrity relationships TMZ interview reconciliation