EXCLUSIVE: Hayden Panettiere's Ex Brian Hickerson Was Still 'Taking Full Advantage' of Her Finances After Their 2022 Split, Source Claims
Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson began dating in 2018.
Aug. 20 2026, Published 3:35 p.m. ET
Hayden Panettiere was involved in a volatile on-again, off-again relationship with Brian Hickerson for several years after they first started dating in 2018.
According to a source, Panettiere continued shelling out cash to him even after their big breakup in 2022, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Inside Brian Hickerson's Run-ins With Police
Brian Hickerson faced several allegations of domestic violence.
Panettiere and Hickerson's rollercoaster relationship was mired with allegations of abuse and run-ins with the law.
In 2019, Hickerson was charged with felony domestic violence on suspicions of physically harming the former child star. However, the case was dropped that September. Months later, in February 2020, Hickerson was arrested for allegedly punching Panettiere with his fist during an argument. He pleaded no contest.
In 2021, he was sentenced to 45 days behind bars.
The next year, the couple was involved in a fight with another group outside of the Sunset Marquis hotel in Los Angeles. Panettiere reportedly tried to break up the altercation, yelling at Hickerson, "Brian, jail!"
'He's Taking Full Advantage'
Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson had an on-again, off-again relationship for years.
Panettiere and Hickerson officially split some time after that incident, according to reports. However, the Nashville alum worried pals when she was seen with the aspiring actor in public several times.
A source claimed that she was not only still spending time with Hickerson, but was also funding his lifestyle.
"She’s happy to loan him cash and wants him to succeed," a source told Radar. "And he’s taking full advantage."
"Hayden has finally accepted that their chemistry always leads to disaster," the source continued. "But he’s still hanging in."
Brian Hickerson Speaks Out on Abuse Allegations in Memoir
Brian Hickerson admitted to acting abusively toward Hayden Panettiere after her memoir was released.
Panettiere spoke out on being a victim of domestic abuse in her memoir. After the release, Hickerson admitted to his wrongdoing in an interview.
"There’s a story where I was drunk, right? Hayden was standing across the room, and I had a phone in my hand, and I said, ‘Hayden, I’ll give you 10 seconds to run as fast as you can before I throw it at you,’" he said. "Who wants to read something about themselves, right? But you gotta be vulnerable, and I did it."
Brian Hickerson's Rep Releases Statement After Hayden Panettiere's Death
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Hayden Panettiere died at 36.
As Radar previously reported, Panettiere traveled with Hickerson to Greenville, South Carolina, earlier this month. On Sunday, August 16, the Heroes star was found unresponsive in an Airbnb at the Judson Mill Lofts complex.
Hickerson and his brother were both there in the apartment when emergency services performed "life-saving methods" on the actress, but she was pronounced dead at 2:31 p.m. that day.
Her cause of death is still pending, but her autopsy revealed that "no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death."
On Thursday, August 20, Hickerson's lawyer, Sloan Ellis, released a statement on the incident.
"Hayden’s death remains under investigation, and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed," Ellis told TMZ. "As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time."
