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Milo Ventimiglia has been single for a while now. The last time he was linked to someone was in 2017. Fans thought he was dating Kelly Egarian as they attended the Emmys together that year. As it turned out, it was never really a thing. That makes his last "official" relationships the ones with his Gilmore Girls love interest, Alexis Bledel and his Heroes co-star, Hayden Panettiere.
A lot of fans know of the This Is Us actor's relationship with Bledel. But not much is known about his two-year romance with Panettiere. Here's everything you should know about the former couple.
How Did Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere Meet?
Ventimiglia and Panettiere first met when they starred in the hit series Heroes where they played Peter Petrelli and Claire Bennet. The two started dating in 2007, a year after the show's premiere. She was 18, he was 29. The age gap made a lot of noise in the tabloids. "It was never a case of me making a decision, saying, 'I want to date older men,'" the Ice Princess actress told Telegraph in 2013. "But I am drawn to people who make me up my game, who bring me up to their level. I want to be with somebody who is more worldly than me, somebody who can give me guidance and is completely secure and comfortable with who they are."
When asked about their relationship in a 2008 interview with Cosmopolitan, Panettiere said that it "is no one else's business." But she still shared the traits that drew her to Ventimiglia, saying that when it comes to guys, she wants "somebody who's driven and somebody who has a good sense of humor, because I can be very dry and sarcastic." She added that confidence is a dealbreaker for her. "I need somebody who is very secure," she continued. "In this business, I'm constantly standing next to gorgeous people. My job is to make out with [attractive] men. Like, hello, who wouldn't be completely threatened by that? But at the end of the day, you have to realize that it's just a job." We're sure the Gilmore Girls actor was able to keep up.
Why Did Milo Ventimiglia & Hayden Panettiere Break Up?
It's unclear why the two broke up. But for years, it was assumed that it was due to the bad headlines about their relationship. In 2017, Ventimiglia told The Journal what he learned about his time with Panettiere. "Never do it again. There are things that happen to you in your life that shape who you are," he said. "Everything I've been through from jobs to friendships to partnerships, everything has built me to who I am. You learn from it. You learn a better way of doing things. It wasn't until my mid to late twenties that the job wears on you, relationships wear on you." Sounds like a tough breakup.
However, he clarified that he doesn't regret a thing about dating the actress. "But I wouldn't change a thing," he continued. "When you get knocked over the head in life, it builds your perspective." In 2016, he also told E! News that he was done dating co-stars. "Bad idea. Don't s--t where you eat," he said. He was also referring to his three-year relationship with Bledel which developed on the set of Gilmore Girls.
It also sounds like these experiences made Ventimiglia wiser about relationships. "Be yourself. If you guys click—great. If you don't, it's ok. You're not supposed to be with one another," he advised. "Contribute as much as you'd like to take. That might be a good thing. Don't just take, take, take, take, take—give, give, give, give."
Who Are Milo Ventimiglia & Hayden Panettiere Dating Today?
Panettiere has been in an on-and-off relationship with Brian Hickerson since 2018. Recently, they got into a public bar brawl which erupted when he "made a comment to an individual about leaving the waitress a poor tip." An insider added: "That same individual along with the group he was with began badgering and shoving Brian at which point security pushed everyone outside." The actress wasn't hurt during the altercation and reportedly believes that her boyfriend has "changed for the better" despite the incident.
"Hayden says people can learn from their mistakes," said the source, adding that the actress has cut off "anti-Brian" people from her life. "She's become secretive with other friends," they revealed. "She takes ages to respond and sends one-word answers by text and cryptic messages." As for Ventimiglia, he's staying out of trouble and hasn't publicly confirmed any relationship since Panettiere. He recently broke the internet, though.