NEED TO KNOW
Hayden Panettiere’s daughter Kaya, 11, lives in Ukraine with her father Wladimir Klitschko but they maintain a close bond
The actress explains why her daughter Kaya calls her mom “Britney” in an interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings
Panettiere signed over custody in 2018 while seeking treatment and says Kaya has built an incredible life in Europe
Hayden Panettiere’s daughter has a special name for her mom — and it took the star a second to realize where she got it from.
While appearing on CBS Mornings, the actress, 36, was asked by Gayle King about her relationship with her daughter Kaya, 11. Panettiere, who welcomed Kaya with ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, explained that although Kaya lives in Ukraine, they still have a great relationship.
“I’m so blessed to have a great relationship with her,” says Panettiere. “I fly over there as much as I can. I’m on FaceTime with her all the time. She’s now 11 years old, and she’s calling Mommy more and more.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Hayden Panettiere in ‘Bring It On: All Or Nothing’ in 2006.
Credit: Universal Studios Home Entertainment/Everett Collection
“She actually called me and FaceTimed me the other day, and she calls me ‘Britney.’ She goes, ‘Hey Britney,’ ” continues the star. “It took me a second, and I realized she was talking about Bring It On, because her friends are fans of Bring It On.”
Panettiere starred as Britney Allen in the 2006 movie Bring It On: All or Nothing. The film is the third installment in the Bring It On series.
“I was like, Oh my gosh! She’s now asking me to Zoom with her friends. I’m cool now!” says Panettiere.
Last week, Panettiere appeared on Jay Shetty’s podcast On Purpose and addressed the “heartbreaking” claims that she “gave away” her child after she signed over custody to her ex-fiancé Klitschko in 2018.
Hayden Panettiere attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Netflix’s New Film “Blonde” at TCL Chinese Theatre on September 13, 2022 in Hollywood, California.
Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
The actress, who most recently starred in the psychological thriller Sleepwalker, called herself a “mother lion” and said she would have “burnt the whole world down” for Kaya. But Klitschko felt it was best that their daughter live in Europe while Panettiere sought treatment for alcoholism and substance abuse.
“That was incredibly difficult. The fact that my child wasn’t going to be with me all day, every day was…you can’t put words to it. It’s just a really intense feeling or multiple feelings really layered together,” said Panettiere.
While her daughter was in Europe with Klitschko, Panettiere realized that Kaya had friends and family overseas and began to speak multiple languages like her dad.
“So by the time I finally got healthy, I felt like it would have been unfair of me to, and selfish of me to try to pull her out of this life that she had been [creating], this life that she had been living,” noted the Heroes actress. “An incredible life.”
Read the original article on People