Penettiere, best known for her roles on TV series Heroes and in popular film franchise Scream, spoke to DeGeneres on her talk show.
Before going off the air in May 2022, the talk show host had an array of A-listers on for a chat about their lives, movies, or any other tidbits that made for an entertaining viewing.
When Penettiere was brought on back in 2011, it was no different, as the subject of her relationship with world-famous former boxer Wladimir Klitschko was brought up.
The couple were on and off from 2009 to 2018 (Venturelli/WireImage)
The actress dated the Ukrainian from 2009 to 2011, though they would get back together in 2013, becoming engaged that same year, with Panettiere giving birth to their daughter in 2014.
They would then split for good in 2018.
But the couple were still an item when she made an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, where the Nashville star revealed one of the questions she was asked by people about her other half.
Panettiere stands at just 5’1″, compared to Klitschko’s height of 6’6″, making the height difference fairly noticeable to those who saw them together.
Speaking on the show, the actress admitted: “He is quite a bit bigger than me,” after Ellen spoke about their height difference.
Then, Panettiere moved on to their private life: “I get the prudest [sic] people coming up to me, and they’re like, ‘Does it work?'”
Without needing to explain it to Ellen or the audience, everyone figured out what she was taking about.
“Yeah, it works. We find a way,” the then 21-year-old actress admitted.
Half-jokingly, Ellen responded: “I know what you’re talking about and I’m in shock.”
The actress exclaimed: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!”
She insisted that ‘it works’ despite the height difference (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
Still slightly shocked, Ellen asked: “People ask you that?”
The Heroes actress confirmed that it’s true, explaining: “And they’re very conservative people most of the time. They just have to know. Like, have to know, ‘I just have to ask you this question!'”
But while the host called it ‘crazy and rude’ to laughter from the crowd, Penettiere clearly wasn’t bothered, calling the whole thing ‘amusing’.
Ellen kept the gag up though, asking: “Really? Well then, how does it work?” Before backtracking and having a giggle, as the audience erupted into laughter and applause again.
Since their split, it was reported that the couple have remained on ‘good terms’ for the sake of their daughter.
