Actress Hayden Panettiere is opening up about a frightening experience from her teenage years, revealing new details in her memoir about an incident involving a "very famous" British singer-songwriter aboard a luxury yacht in the South of France.

In her new book, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," the 36-year-old actress shared that she was only 18 when someone she deeply trusted led her into a private room on a celebrity-filled super yacht.

According to Page Six, Panettiere said she was shocked to find an "undressed" man waiting for her inside the cabin.

The actress first discussed the painful memory during an appearance on On Purpose with Jay Shetty, but her memoir gives more details about the identity of the man, describing him as a "famous thirty-something British singer-songwriter."

Panettiere explained that the moment began during what she believed was a normal evening with friends. She was traveling with a close companion she refers to in the memoir as "Stella McAmis."

According to the actress, the woman approached her during dinner and asked her to meet someone downstairs on the yacht. The situation quickly became disturbing. Panettiere said she was taken through a narrow hallway into a small cabin where the singer was lying shirtless under the sheets.

Hayden Panettiere Recalls Shocking Yacht Incident

She recalled feeling confused and frightened after her friend allegedly encouraged her to get into bed with him before leaving the room. At first, the former Nashville star said she froze because she had spent years being directed and managed as a child actor. However, once left alone, she realized she needed to leave immediately.

"Look, I don't know what she said to you, but this is not going to happen," Panettiere recalled telling the man before rushing out of the room.

She later described the experience as "shocking" and said it completely changed how she viewed the people around her. Panettiere admitted she felt deeply betrayed because the person who brought her into the situation was someone she once considered protective and trustworthy.

Speaking on the podcast, she explained that she suddenly understood she was in danger while trapped out at sea.

"There was no jumping off and swimming away," she said, adding that the experience forced her into survival mode, People reported.

Although fans online have speculated about the identities of the people involved, Panettiere has chosen not to publicly name the singer or others connected to the incident. She explained that the events happened years ago and that she wants to avoid legal battles with powerful figures in the entertainment industry.

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