Diana Jenkins, known for her role on “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” has firmly refuted startling allegations suggesting she was the friend involved in a troubling incident with actress Hayden Panettiere. The claims alleged that Jenkins orchestrated a situation where Panettiere, at the age of 18, found herself in bed with an ‘undressed man.’
Recently, 36-year-old Panettiere, who has publicly identified as bisexual, surprised many by disclosing an unsettling experience from her past. She recounted being pressured into sharing a bed with a ‘very famous’ older celebrity while on a boat, sparking significant public interest and concern.
The Heroes actress fought back tears as she said on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast that the person who led her into the situation was a friend who she trusted before they ‘physically put me in the bed next to this undressed man who was very famous.’
In the aftermath of this revelation, unfounded rumors began circulating online, hinting that Jenkins, now 53, was the mysterious friend Panettiere referred to. These speculations largely stem from Jenkins’ previous collaboration with Panettiere on her 2008 photography book, “Room 23.”
In response, Jenkins’ representatives issued a strong rebuttal through a statement to TMZ. They declared, “Diana has had to deal with false online rumors before, and sadly this is just another example of that. Let me be 100 percent clear about this: It most certainly is not Diana, and anyone who claims it is her will be sued.”
The statement further emphasized Jenkins’ history of taking legal action against similar defamatory claims, noting that past lawsuits have concluded with settlements in her favor. This latest incident serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges public figures face in the age of social media speculation.
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Diana Jenkins has denied wild claims she was the friend who put Hayden Panettiere in bed with an ‘undressed man’ when she was 18
Panettiere, 36, who recently came out as bisexual , shocked fans this week as she revealed she was coerced into getting in bed with the ‘very famous’ older celebrity while aboard a boat
Her team added that Jenkins has previously sued individuals for making similar false allegations against her, which have ended in settlements in her favor.
The Daily Mail has contacted a representative for Jenkins for further comment.
Panettiere further discusses the scary incident in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, with Shetty opening up the chat with: ‘You write about a moment in your career where a friend of yours takes you onto a boat. You’re led to a room which has an older man in it and then basically told to perform sexual acts.’
Panettiere responded: ‘The fact that I was 18, even though I’d lived such a huge life and I thought I was oh so mature at 18… scientifically, your frontal lobes don’t develop until we’re what, 25, 26?
‘So even though I felt like I could make healthy decisions, safe decisions, I wasn’t capable of being fully aware of what was going on around me.’
The actress said she was led downstairs into a small room before being put in bed with the unidentified man, who she says behaved ‘like this was just an average day for him.’
Nashville star Panettiere said she immediately became ‘ferocious’, adding: ‘That lion in me, that fire in me… my hair stood on end…
‘I was like, “This is not happening”‘ before running out of the room and trying to hide.
Following the revelation, false speculation spread that Jenkins, 53, was allegedly the unnamed friend, due to her working with the actress on her 2008 photography book, Room 23 – Jenkins pictured with Panettiere and her then-partner Wladimir Klitschko in 2009
Panettiere is pictured 2007 aged 18 in Heroes as Claire Bennet
‘There was no jumping off and swimming away,’ she said. ‘And there was nobody who was going to be empathetic to my situation. I realized that this was nothing new to them.’
Panettiere shot to fame in 2006 aged 17 playing Claire Bennet – a high-school cheerleader who can spontaneously regenerate – on Heroes.
The revelation comes days after Panettiere came out as bisexual after years of feeling ‘forced to be perfect’ in order to avoid public scrutiny.
‘It’s sad that I had to wait till I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never, right?’ the Nashville alum told Us Weekly last week.
‘I’ve chosen to share it with the world, I’m comfortable saying I’m bisexual. I’m comfortable to confidently say that, yes, I am bisexual. I said it!’
The revelation comes days after Panettiere came out as bisexual after years of feeling ‘forced to be perfect’ in order to avoid public scrutiny.
‘It’s sad that I had to wait till I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never, right?’ the Nashville alum told Us Weekly last week.
‘I’ve chosen to share it with the world, I’m comfortable saying I’m bisexual. I’m comfortable to confidently say that, yes, I am bisexual. I said it!’
