‘Scream’ Star Hayden Panettiere Says Oscar Winner Exposed Himself to Her at Age 19: ‘Well-Respected’ Star Accused

Hayden Panettiere has made serious allegations about an incident that happened when she was 19 years old. The claims were shared in her new memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” as reported by People magazine, which reviewed excerpts from the book.

In the memoir, the “Nashville” and “Scream” actress describes attending a private party at an apartment where she was socializing with a group of men. She writes that she began feeling uncomfortable and decided to leave the gathering.

Panettiere says that as she was putting on her coat, one man approached her and acted like something was wrong with his clothing. She wrote, “I looked down and recoiled,” and then added, “This well-respected, award-winning actor’s testicles were hanging out from his unzipped fly.” The identity of the man is not revealed in the book.

She continued in her account, explaining how shocked she felt in the moment. She wrote, “It hadn’t hurt me and I was sure it was a drunken joke, but I’d never seen a grown man do something like that. I was shocked.” According to her memoir, she was with a friend at the time but chose not to immediately report what happened.

Panettiere also said she tried to move on from the incident by telling herself it was just inappropriate behavior from older men rather than something more serious. Her account was summarized by People, which first reported the excerpt.

In another part of the book, she describes a separate uncomfortable situation during a trip to France. She recalls being on a yacht where a friend introduced her to a “famous thirtysomething British singer-songwriter.” She says she was encouraged to get into bed with him, but she left the situation quickly.

The memoir also covers other parts of her life, including her relationships, mental health struggles, and personal experiences with abuse. According to early coverage of the book, Panettiere also reflects on her career and her time in Hollywood while discussing her bisexuality and past relationships.

“This Is Me: A Reckoning” adds to a growing list of celebrity memoirs where actors share personal and difficult experiences from earlier in their lives.

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