“Nashville” Star Hayden Panettiere Engaged
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ABC/Mark Levine(NEW YORK) — After months of playing coy and even denying that she was engaged, Hayden Panettiere has confirmed that she’s set to walk down the aisle with pro boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
When Live with Kelly and Michael’s Kelly Ripa asked on Wednesday’s show if the ring on Hayden’s left ring finger was a promise of marriage, the Nashville star said, “It might be. It might be. I mean, I think it speaks for itself.” She later clarified that she was indeed engaged to her longtime boyfriend. A rep for the actress confirmed the news as well.
Panettiere and Klitschko dated in 2010 and 2011 before breaking up and later reconciling last January.
The 24-year-old admits that she has no idea when the two plan to wed. Panettiere explained that it’s hard to set a date, thanks to Nashville‘s shooting schedule. “We shoot from the end of July all the way to the end of April,” she clarified.
ABC’s Nashville is keeping the actress busy, especially this season. Her character, Juliette Barnes, is trying to perfect her new sound while continuing to compete not only with country’s reigning queen, Rayna James, played by Connie Britton, but also an up-and-coming performer, Layla Grant, played by Sharknado’s Ashley Peeples, who seems to be stealing Juliette’s thunder.
“We still get to see the juicy, witchy, Juliette — you know, that edgy part of her — but this time it’s deserved. It’s much more deserved than going after Rayna,” Panettiere explained.
Nashville has also spawned real-life country music hits. Panettiere’s “Telescope,” which was originally sung by her character on the show, was released to radio, becoming a Billboard hit.
“To be sitting in your car and then all of a sudden see your name pop on the radio…It’s just shocking,” Panettiere said of the song’s success. “I got out of the car, screaming at my friends. I was like, ‘I’m on the radio!'”
Nashville airs Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio