Hayden Panettiere poses in a green bikini for the January issue of U.S. Esquire.(Photo/Agencies)

Hayden Panettiere poses in a green bikini for the January issue of U.S. Esquire.(Photo/Agencies)

Hayden Panettiere poses in a green bikini for the January issue of U.S. Esquire.(Photo/Agencies)

(Photo/Agencies)

Hayden Panettiere makes a splash in the January issue of Esquire as she models two skimpy bikinis.

The 23-year-old actress, whose split from footballer Scotty McKnight was reported this week, looks incredible in her two two-pieces, shot for the "Funny Joke from A Beautiful Woman" feature.

Proving she has a sense of humour, the Nashville star tells a joke in the short interview (see below) and also chats about her new character.

Hayden, best known for playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes, is now starring as fame-hungry country star Juliette Barnes in Nashville.

In the ABC show Juliette competes withveteran performer Rayna Jaymes, played by Friday Night Lights star Connie Britton, for the spotlight.

Panettiere describes her character as "the cold bitch of the century" in her interview with Esquire, adding: "I kept apologizing after my first scene with Connie, saying, 'I don't mean it!'"

The actress went on: "It's fun. You get permission to be openly nasty and get away with it."

Panettiere and McKnight called time on their relationship a few weeks ago but are determined to remain friends.

"The two broke up a couple of weeks ago ... but it wasn't a nasty breakup. They are still really good friends." a source told TMZ.

"They will probably be back together sometime down the road."

Hayden started dating Scotty after splitting from heavyweight boxing champion Wladmir Klitschko in May 2011after a year and a half together because they couldn't cope with havinga long-distance relationship.

Hayden lived in the US, while Wladimir - who was raised in the Ukraine - is based in Hamburg, Germany.

Hayden said at the time: "While we decided to split, we feel great sympathy and respect for each other and will surely stay close friends."

Wladimir added: "We had a great time together. But more and more we saw how difficult it is to maintain a relationship when living on two continents. I cherish Hayden as a personand woman.'"

(Agencies)