Hayden Panettiere Survived 'Messy Generation'; Ready to Be a Mother
Hayden Panettiere may have grown up in the "messy generation, the generation of the disaster child," but she survived with reputation and career intact. Now the 23-year-old actress has opened up about what comes next in her life and how she managed to stay grounded when so many lost their footing.
"I came up in the Messy Generation: the generation of the disaster child," Panettiere told Glamour magazine in a new interview. "It's not that I didn't go to clubs, have my picture taken. I was 16 years old. I was experimenting just like any kid. But I had friends and family to yank me back when I was heading in the wrong direction."
"The thing that really saved me was that I still had that healthy fear of my parents– I still had a midnight curfew at 18!" Panettiere added. "I've lived a very big life, and I don't feel my age."
That could explain why the 23-year-old has babies on the brain. She is currently dating boxer Wladimir Klitschko, and though there are rumors that they are engaged, Panettiere refused to confirm or deny them. For now, she said, they are just happy and don't "really have a plan" for marriage yet.
"It blows my mind sometimes that us getting together has gotten so much attention. It's like, 'Really? This is breaking news?'" Panettiere asked before changing the subject to the future and motherhood.
"Sometimes people speak about [having kids] like, 'Your life ends– you're never going to be able to do anything again!' And I'm like, 'What are you talking about?' Motherhood is the most beautiful, exciting thing, and there's nothing that I feel like I can't accomplish while having children in my life. I would sacrifice more years of being wherever I want whenever I want for years with my kids," she explained.
Panettiere currently stars on the hit series "Nashville," which airs on ABC.