Hayden Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, has opened up about her late daughter’s troubled relationship with her longtime on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson, describing their bond as deeply “co-dependent” and “unhealthy.”
The new comments come days after the Heroes and Nashville actress died at 36. Panettiere was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16, 2026. Brian and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were with her at the Airbnb when the responders arrived. The official cause and manner of death remain under investigation.
Hayden Panettiere’s mom calls Brian Hickerson a ‘modern-day gigolo’
In an interview published by the Daily Mail on Saturday, August 22, Vogel, 70, reflected on the changes she believes she saw in her daughter after Hickerson entered her life. She recalled thinking him to be a “gigolo” (a male escort). “Very early in the game, I thought he’s a modern-day gigolo. I know what he’s after.”
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