Hayden Panettiere has given and taken her share of punches as Juliette Barnes on “Nashville.” Her character’s near collision with death in midair made a true impact, but no one changes completely overnight. Currently, Juliette is struggling with how to make amends with Maddie and her dad, Deacon, over stealing a song she could not pass up. The most impetuous choices can end up costing the most, and no one brings the spark and spirit on camera more simultaneously than the petite Panettiere. She has spent her life on camera, and her off-screen life with fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, is about to be very different.
Hanging up the gloves
Professional boxer, Wladimir Klitschko, 41, announced his decision to retire from his sport on Thursday, August 3. It was not a choice that the athlete came to hastily. Klitschko noted that he deliberately took weeks to come to the decision, allowing him to put distance between the Wembley Stadium battle between himself and 27-year-old Anthony Joshua. Despite losing the final decision, the Ukrainian giant had his much younger opponent on the canvas, and the match was full throttle back and forth the whole time.
Klitschko displayed true class and sportsmanship is passing the mantle to Joshua on Twitter, saying “My heart is at peace…” Wladimir Klitschko was an imposing force with which to be faced, taking 64 wins in 69 fights through 27 years, and 25 of those being world title bouts.
Committed as parents
In his reflective retirement speech, Klitschko gave thanks “especially to my family” and his fans for the longevity of his 27-year career that has allowed him to travel the world, learn new languages, create businesses, and “help people in need.”
The duties of parenting daughter Kaya, 2, have always been primary for the boxing champ and the versatile actress mom.
When Hayden Panettiere courageously faced multiple, debilitating episodes of postpartum depression in 2015 and again in 2016, requiring extensive treatment and stays in “holistic” settings in rehab, dad stepped up to see that the security of home was maintained.
Hayden Panettiere was not only brave in discussing the depth of for personal struggles, she had them written into her “Nashville” scripts for her character through Season 4.
Many women have reached out to the star in thanks for making the topic open to discussing, not just among friends, but with medical professionals. Like other celebrities, Hayden Panettiere has demonstrated the courage to shed the stigma on mental illness topics, lighting the way in inspiring others.
Despite the disparity in stature between the pair, together since 2009, Wladimir and Hayden share similar passions in saving animals and being environmentally conscious. Each has areas with unique design touches in their Nashville home, and of course, a perfect room for their toddler princess. Hayden Panettiere showed off the Music City retreat to Country Living magazine last spring. The "Nashville" Season 5 finale airs next week, August 10.
The series is already in production for Season 6.
There will be a lot more time for dad to enjoy tea parties with his darling daughter now, and whatever that future that he has been considering for years holds, it's sure to be much less hard-hitting.
