Hayden Panettiere Is Releasing A Memoir About Her Past Addiction Struggles
Hayden Panettiere has revealed she will be releasing a new memoir titled Scream And Break Free: Addiction, Trauma, and How the Cheerleader Saved Herself. The 34-year-old told PEOPLE the memoir will provide an "unprecedented glimpse into [her] storied life and acclaimed career." And while she feels it's "daunting" to share her story, she also finds it "exciting". The publication reports the book will delve into Panettiere's decades-long career, motherhood, alcoholism, addiction, and more. "You may laugh a little, cry a little, but most importantly, you'll hopefully finish it feeling inspired. I've grown so much from my experiences," she told the publication. "I hope that this opportunity to further elaborate on that journey may provide a little comfort for those who have faced similar challenges. I'm truly grateful for every lesson, and for the woman I have become today." Scream And Break Free is schedule for release by Grand Central Publishing in early 2026. Panettiere first shot to fame as a child actress when she worked on One Life To Live, on which she starred as Sarah Roberts from 1994 to 1997. She broke out even bigger when she landed the role of cheerleader Clair Bennet in NBC's breakout hit Heroes from 2006 to 2010. The Nashville actress has been open about her previous struggles, telling The Messenger in January that her next major on Nashville from 2012 to 2018 began to mirror her life a little too closely. "Straight from the beginning it was like, I’m dating a football player, Juliette dates a football player," she said of her character. "And then they turned her into an alcoholic. Then, they turned to her leaving her daughter and going to this crazy [place] in Europe," Panettiere continued. "And it was very obvious … they weren't doing their homework. They weren't creating new story lines." "They were just looking at my life and going, 'Oh, let's just take what she's going through and put our little spin on it,'" she continued. "And then, ta-da! It's done and done." Since the show wrapped, Panettiere has been open about her struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, which led to her daughter Kaya moving to Ukraine for a while with her ex, Wladimir Klitschko. The storylines hewed so close to her personal life that the actress said it was "very traumatizing." She added, "I felt like I was acting out my own life." She said the end of that show helped open her eyes to a lot of things that were wrong in her life, including the team of people she had around her. Describing those years as lonely, Panettiere said she realized, "people aren't trying to protect me. They're trying to protect themselves." Noting that some of these people had represented her since she was 13 years old, Panettiere said she felt she'd been "trained my whole life to trust and listen to and take advice from" them. "It was a terrifying thing to do to finally make that switch," she said. After several years of personal struggles, Panettiere got sober in 2021. She told Red Table Talk the following year that she felt "horribly guilty" when her daughter moved to Ukraine to live with her father, but called it "the most unselfish thing" she could do at the time so she could work on herself. Kaya still lives with her father. Sometimes, Panettiere said she wonders how her life might have turned out differently had she not taken Nashville so quickly after her breakout role on Heroes. "If I hadn't had done that -- if I hadn't accepted Nashville and had all that time to be involved with other projects -- then where would I be now?" she mused. "It took six years of my career when I was at my physical prime, my mental, my everything, that I just wonder what it would have been like in the hiatuses, [if I] did one project or film, or was encouraged to do that," she pondered. "Where would I be today?" If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, get help. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress.
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"You may laugh a little, cry a little, but most importantly, you'll hopefully finish it feeling inspired. I've grown so much from my experiences," Panettiere says.
Hayden Panettiere has revealed she will be releasing a new memoir titled Scream And Break Free: Addiction, Trauma, and How the Cheerleader Saved Herself.
The 34-year-old told PEOPLE the memoir will provide an "unprecedented glimpse into [her] storied life and acclaimed career." And while she feels it's "daunting" to share her story, she also finds it "exciting".
The publication reports the book will delve into Panettiere's decades-long career, motherhood, alcoholism, addiction, and more.
"You may laugh a little, cry a little, but most importantly, you'll hopefully finish it feeling inspired. I've grown so much from my experiences," she told the publication.
"I hope that this opportunity to further elaborate on that journey may provide a little comfort for those who have faced similar challenges. I'm truly grateful for every lesson, and for the woman I have become today."
Scream And Break Free is schedule for release by Grand Central Publishing in early 2026.
Panettiere first shot to fame as a child actress when she worked on One Life To Live, on which she starred as Sarah Roberts from 1994 to 1997. She broke out even bigger when she landed the role of cheerleader Clair Bennet in NBC's breakout hit Heroes from 2006 to 2010.
The Nashville actress has been open about her previous struggles, telling The Messenger in January that her next major on Nashville from 2012 to 2018 began to mirror her life a little too closely.
"Straight from the beginning it was like, I’m dating a football player, Juliette dates a football player," she said of her character.
"And then they turned her into an alcoholic. Then, they turned to her leaving her daughter and going to this crazy [place] in Europe," Panettiere continued. "And it was very obvious … they weren't doing their homework. They weren't creating new story lines."
"They were just looking at my life and going, 'Oh, let's just take what she's going through and put our little spin on it,'" she continued. "And then, ta-da! It's done and done."
Since the show wrapped, Panettiere has been open about her struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, which led to her daughter Kaya moving to Ukraine for a while with her ex, Wladimir Klitschko.
The storylines hewed so close to her personal life that the actress said it was "very traumatizing." She added, "I felt like I was acting out my own life."
She said the end of that show helped open her eyes to a lot of things that were wrong in her life, including the team of people she had around her. Describing those years as lonely, Panettiere said she realized, "people aren't trying to protect me. They're trying to protect themselves."
Noting that some of these people had represented her since she was 13 years old, Panettiere said she felt she'd been "trained my whole life to trust and listen to and take advice from" them. "It was a terrifying thing to do to finally make that switch," she said.
After several years of personal struggles, Panettiere got sober in 2021. She told Red Table Talk the following year that she felt "horribly guilty" when her daughter moved to Ukraine to live with her father, but called it "the most unselfish thing" she could do at the time so she could work on herself. Kaya still lives with her father.
Sometimes, Panettiere said she wonders how her life might have turned out differently had she not taken Nashville so quickly after her breakout role on Heroes. "If I hadn't had done that -- if I hadn't accepted Nashville and had all that time to be involved with other projects -- then where would I be now?" she mused.
"It took six years of my career when I was at my physical prime, my mental, my everything, that I just wonder what it would have been like in the hiatuses, [if I] did one project or film, or was encouraged to do that," she pondered. "Where would I be today?"
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, get help. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress.
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