Hayden Panettiere & Wladimir Klitschko are engaged: cute couple or disaster?


Just yesterday we saw some photos of Hayden Panettiere and her on-again hulk of a lover, boxing great Wladimir Klitschko, looking loved up courtside. I was a little giddy about their reconciliation because I’m a big fan-girl of Wladimir’s and they looked really cute together. You could see how into each other they are. Now there’s news that they’re engaged, which doesn’t sound like the worst idea but gives me some pause. They just got back together in January of this year and they’re engaged already?

Hayden Panettiere and boxer Wladimir Klitschko are going the distance during round 2! The Nashville star, who reconciled with her Ukrainian boyfriend in January, is now planning their wedding, a source tells Us Weekly.
“Very few people know, and she isn’t wearing her ring publicly yet,” adds the friend of the duo, who first parted ways in May 2011 after two years of dating.

Since getting back together, the actress, 23, and the athlete, 37, have refused to confirm their relationship. (Despite multiple PDA-packed outings — including a cuddly March 24 courtside appearance at a Miami Heat game — Panettiere said they were “just good buddies” in mid-January).

Privately, however, the 5-foot-2 knockout and the 6-foot-6 heavyweight champ are eager to legalize their match. Says the source, “Looks like a summer wedding!”

[From US Weekly]

I think Hayden is pushing these stories and that Wladimir values his privacy somewhat. They did break up the last time right after she humble-bragged on the Ellen show about their sex life, and I don’t think that was a coincidence. So this story from an unnamed source probably comes from her camp. It’s US Weekly after all.

I don’t hate this idea that they’re engaged, but I hope they wait to get married and aren’t going to rush into it this summer. Hayden broke up with her last boyfriend, football player Scotty McNight, in December. Then she got back together with Wladimir in January. (They were together from about 2009 – 2011 the first time.) She doesn’t waste time. She’s only 23, I don’t think she she marry this one. I learned during my dating life that you break up with someone for a reason and that the old problems will resurface again if you get back together. Plus I’m confusing her a little with her Nashville character. Remember what happened when Juliette Barnes got married?

These photos are from 2010 and 2011. Credit: WENN.com

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

44 Responses to “Hayden Panettiere & Wladimir Klitschko are engaged: cute couple or disaster?”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Victoria1 says:

    He’s hot and from what I read yesterday very intelligent and put together. Girl is holding on to the man and not letting him go. Can you blame her? Cuz I’d climb that like a tree

  2. Kasia says:

    He’s got a PhD. I think it’s very impressive that – being a sports star – he did not neglect his education.

    • Lilo says:

      He and his brother bought the PhD, but they are smart and well spoken nonetheless.

      I hope they work out. Also, I second the “climb that like tree”-notion.

      • Anonny says:

        Have you seen the documentary about the Klitschko brothers? I started watching it, excpecting a promotional train wreck but actually really enjoyed it. They’re both very smart and very tight with each other. I doubt he’s making this decision lightly.

  3. The Original Original says:

    I like them together. Shes cute. I would also climb the tree lol. I cant stay away from the tall ones.

  4. Hannah says:

    “[E]ager to legalize their match”. Weird phrasing.

  5. lady mary. says:

    the best part that he really loves her enuff to give the relationship a second go ,and he is a man who can have any girl on this planet ,but he did come back for her ,thats lovely ,i do like them together very much ,and i hope they do get married

  6. Mia 4S says:

    This girl’s dating past indicates one very big thing, Daddy Issues…serious ones. I’m not sure if 23 is enough time to grow out of them? We will see. To her credit she seems to understand now that her place in Hollywood is secondary and marginal. She isn’t overreaching (yet) like so many of the others.

  7. Joanna says:

    The only problem I see with any of this is all that denim in the first photo. My eyes. They burn.

  8. Julie says:

    Big guys like that seem to be attracted to petite girls and vice versa – and that’s fine. But in this case, I feel like she looks a bit like a child in his arms…

  9. BorgQueen says:

    She could do alot worse. At least you can see that they care about each other. I read a blind item that she is into very rough sex play and he broke up with her bc he was afraid he would hurt her. I can definitely see why he would have that concern. Another blind item I read on CDan which was a huge topic of discussion amongst the commentators and it was strongly suggested that she has been sexually abused by her father and pimped out to others growing up. This relationship might be the most normal one she will ever have.

    • MonicaQ says:

      Just commented to say your name is awesome. +1

    • springingforward says:

      I have read fairly extensively about this, also.
      I am sorry for her, if true.
      There seems to be a lot more child abuse/exploitation of child actors in Hollywood than I was aware of…..

  10. serena says:

    She’s too young and I don’t think this couple is cute at all, I mean it just seems ‘off’ to me.

    Also, of course he’s thinking about marriage he’s 37.. And yeah, I think it’s kind of gross that an almost 40 years old man goes for a 23 something girl. Age matter.

    • Marycontrary says:

      I admit, the age difference is always a shock to outsiders, especially when you are young. I met my husband when I was 19 and he was 40. We have known each other now for 26 years. Except for a breakup of three years, we have been together all that time. He adores and respects ME. I adore and respect HIM.

      We are now 45 and 66, and have battled many things together (our son’s adolescence [six high schools!], deaths of beloved ones, his cancer).

      Who would have thought when we first found each other that we would be life mates? Especially if all they judged us on was our age difference? I doubt any one would have. And yet here we are, and so we will remain. Solid.

      That can be their story as well.

  11. Cam S says:

    As someone who was engaged young (20 yrs old) to a man almost 40 yrs old- my advice would be to have a loooong engagement Hayden. Is it wrong of me to think this girl has Daddy issues? Sorry, maybe that’s just me projecting though.

    If they made a sex tape- it’d be worth a FORTUNE!

  12. Toot says:

    Congrats to them if true.

    I always liked them together and Hayden always looked so happy with him.

  13. OhDear says:

    Long engagement, hopefully? This seems rushed.

  14. B says:

    I am always hoping that couples make it. No matter who it is, so congrats to them!
    Having said that, all he is missing are 2 bolts on each side of his neck. I know that was mean but this is Celebitchy.

  15. Fatkid says:

    I used to think the same, re: you broke up for a reason, it won’t work better the second time. Then my mom told me about my uncle who broke up with his gf bc she was younger and he wanted her to date others and be sure of what she wanted. Then three years later the started dating again, got married and now 35 yrs later he and my aunt are still married and in love.

    Who (but them) knows exactly why they broke up the first time. This could be a lasting marriage (if they are engaged).

  16. clare says:

    I know it isn’t her fault she is so short nor his he is so tall but they just look so silly together…
    Ah well! Not my business.

  17. judyjudy says:

    My daughter looks very much like Hayden Panettiere. She’s a lot younger but still looks just like her. Seeing these pictures of HP with her giant fiance make me feel icky and full of rage because I imagine if that were my daughter. And yes, I realize that’s not fair or logical.

  18. Amanda says:

    I vote for disaster. They only got back together last summer, got engaged in January and are getting married this summer? Way too fast IMO. The fact that they broke up and got back together doesn’t help either.

  19. Lari says:

    I LOVE him! But this relationship is just a bit messed up to me:
    the age difference is insane (he can almost be her father) but what bugs me most is that this looks like a promotional relationship more than anything. She got more notice while dating him the first time (which then dried up with her other athlete boyfriends) and she probably feels that getting back together with him will be good for her career (and we notice her more). He wants to get into acting and he thinks the relationship will be good for his career. And since he’s not exactly the typical Hollywood actor-type (has a strong accent and is probably taller than everyone), his acting abilities will be in Europe (Germany primarily) – I wonder if she’ll be ok with moving to Germany for him?

    • Toot says:

      He would have been a very young teen father because there are only 13 years separating them. He just turned 37.

  20. Sara says:

    She is way too young to be married in hollywood. Why the rush? He is too old for her.

  21. Shira says:

    That girl has been 23 for like 5 years, hasn’t she?

    And WHAT.THE.HELL is going on with her in those 2nd and 4th pictures?!

  22. RobN says:

    Sometimes, especially when you’re really young, it takes a big fight or break-up to make you realize how important a person is to you. I’m not much of a fan of her, but they seem like a pretty nice couple.

  23. EmmaStoneWannabe says:

    He’s like a beefy Dermot Mulroney. Pretty hot. i dont blame her…I hope they have a healthy relationship, with the age difference and her apparent daddy issues. Would be nice to see this girl have a happy life ending after hearing about her (supposed) dreadful childhood…BTW love her on Nashville – her character sure is a piece of work.

  24. Holden says:

    She must be a size queen.

  25. moon says:

    That last dress is awful, it looks like her blue tube dress is falling off and her gold bra sticking out

  26. taxi says:

    She’ll get a kink in her neck making eye contact.

  27. KellyinSeattle says:

    This couple is mediocre, no “star quality”…just, whatever. No negatitvity, just seem blah.

  28. Claudia says:

    She is a serial monogamist. When has she ever, EVER been single? I feel like there is never a real break between boyfriends.

  29. Trudy says:

    I think she feels safe with him because he is so big. There has been many rumors of her mother pimping her out so she needs someone who she feels can protect her. I like them together.

  30. Kristine says:

    I do not find him attractive in the least. I’m 5’2 and my bf is 6’2 so I understand the attraction to taller men.. but his face looks so mangled.

  31. msw says:

    Eh. My husband and I met when we were 20. We broke up briefly after 2 years, got back together, got engaged a few months later and married at 24. We’ve been together 11 years and life’s awesome. Sometimes breaking up with someone fora while helps you realize what you need to work on. It’s not always a sign that the problems are too big to overcome.