Connie Britton Explains Why She’s ‘So Happy’ For Hayden Panettiere

Hayden Panettiere, left, and Connie Britton appear in Beverly Hills, California, in 2013 for an event honoring "Nashville."

Connie Britton saw Hayden Panettiere’s life fall apart, and she’s proud that her onetime “Nashville” co-star is picking the pieces back up.

In a People interview published online Thursday, the former “Friday Night Lights” star said that she applauds “how she [Panettiere] has gone through a really difficult time and done a lot of work and has come out on the other side.”

“I’m so happy that she is in that place, and I hope she’s in a great place,” Britton told the magazine.

Britton noted that although she hasn’t spoken to the “Heroes” alum “in a while,” she’s pleased to see that she’s working again.

“And so I only wish her just peace in her heart, and I can’t wait to see the movie,” the “White Lotus” actor said of Panettiere’s upcoming film “Amber Alert.”

Hayden Panettiere, left, and Connie Britton appear in Beverly Hills, California, in 2013 for an event honoring “Nashville.”

David Livingston via Getty Images

Panettiere appeared on “Nashville” — a musical drama TV series — from 2012 to 2018, during a very rough period in her life.

The “Remember the Titans” actor welcomed a daughter, Kaya, in 2014. After giving birth, Panettiere said she experienced postpartum depression and eventually turned to alcoholism. In 2018, she relinquished custody of Kaya after the girl’s father, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, demanded that she stay with him in Ukraine.

Panettiere took a hiatus from acting after “Nashville,” but began working again with a role in 2023′s “Scream VI.”

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“Amber Alert,” her new thriller, is scheduled for release later this month. Panettiere is also slated to appear in another film, “A Breed Apart,” which is currently in postproduction, according to IMDb.

Need help with substance use disorder or mental health issues? In the U.S., call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline.

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