In Interviews, Hayden Panettiere Addressed Rumors About Her Relationship With Her Daughter – Details

For years, the late actress faced intense scrutiny over one deeply personal part of her life. Her own account, however, revealed a far more complicated story.

Before Hayden Panettiere's death on August 16, 2026, at age 36, the actress had spoken openly about years of speculation surrounding her relationship with daughter Kaya Evdokia Klitschko. And one seemingly funny nickname her daughter used for her in 2026 actually came after a much more painful chapter in their story.

Hayden Pushed Back Against Claims That She 'Gave Up' Her Daughter

During a May 2026 appearance on the "On Purpose Podcast" with Jay Shetty, Hayden directly challenged, "The idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking," she said, adding that it "couldn't be further from the truth."

The star explained that she had struggled with mental health issues, anxiety, postpartum difficulties, alcoholism, and substance abuse, and said she had personally sought treatment when she realized she needed help.

She said that when Kaya was about two to two-and-a-half years old, her father, Wladimir Klitschko, decided it would be best for their daughter to live in Ukraine. Hayden divulged that she initially reacted like a "mother lion" and would have "burnt the world down" for her child.

Over time, however, she said she realized Kaya already had family, friends, activities, and a full life in Europe. Once Hayden became healthier, she felt it would have been "unfair" and "selfish" to remove her daughter from that environment.

By 2026, Hayden said Kaya, 11, speaks five languages, rides horses, and knows she had two parents who loved her.

"I have an incredible relationship with her," Hayden noted further, explaining that she traveled to see Kaya whenever possible and spent a great deal of time talking to her on FaceTime. She also insisted Kaya "in no way feels abandoned," saying they discussed deep subjects and shared an "intense, incredible" bond.

The Unexpected Nickname Kaya Started Calling Her Mom

Another May 2026 interview offered a much lighter glimpse of that relationship. While speaking with Gayle King on "CBS Mornings," Hayden said Kaya had begun "calling mommy more and more." But recently, her daughter had surprised her during a FaceTime call.

"She goes, 'Hey Brittany,'" Hayden recalled. It took her a moment to understand that Kaya was referring to Brittany Allen, Hayden's character in "Bring It On: All or Nothing."

Kaya's friends had apparently become fans of "Bring It On," and Hayden said her daughter was even asking her to Zoom with them. "I'm cool now," she joked. The playful nickname painted a strikingly different picture from one Hayden had shared several years earlier.

Years Earlier, Kaya Asked Other Women If She Could Call Them 'Mommy'

During a September 2022 "Red Table Talk" interview, Hayden recalled Wladimir telling her that Kaya had been asking other women whether she could call them "mommy." "My breath hitched, and my heart stopped," Hayden shared.

The actress claimed Wladimir laughed because he thought the situation was funny, but she found it "horrifying." To her, Kaya's behavior seemed like "a trauma reaction" and "a cry for help," so she immediately asked to speak with her daughter.

Hayden Panettiere said that when she questioned Kaya about it, the child suddenly began speaking in what she described as "goo-goo gaga" gibberish — something Hayden said she had never heard her do before.

The actress believed the reaction showed Kaya was struggling with having her mother away and said she feared the separation could affect her emotionally later in life. More details on the story will follow shortly.