Hayden Panettiere

Panettiere first appeared in commercials at the age of eleven months, beginning with an advertisement for a Playskool toy train.[11] She landed a role as Sarah Roberts on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live from 1994 to 1997, which was followed by Lizzie Spaulding on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light in 1996, and again from 1997 to 2000. While on Guiding Light, Panettiere's character Lizzie battled leukemia. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society gave her its Special Recognition Award for drawing the attention of daytime viewers to the disease, and for improving national awareness.

For her performance in Lifetime Television's 1999 TV movie If You Believe, she was nominated for the Young Artist Award for Young Actress Age Ten or Under in the category of Best Performance in a TV Movie or Pilot.[12] Panettiere appeared on Fox's Ally McBeal as the title character's daughter, played the daughter of a man transitioning to female in HBO Films' Normal, had a recurring guest role on Malcolm in the Middle and guest starred in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in two different roles. In 2004, Panettiere had her first starring role in the Disney Channel film Tiger Cruise.

Connie Britton (left) and Panettiere (right) at PaleyFest for the TV series Nashville in 2013

Panettiere gained greater fame as Claire Bennet in the NBC series Heroes, which was created by Tim Kring, as a high school cheerleader with regenerative healing powers. Thanks to her role on Heroes, she became a regular on the science fiction convention circuit, invited to attend conventions around the world in 2007, including Gen Con, New York Comic Con, and Fan Expo Canada. Panettiere has complained that her acting options are sometimes limited because "people look at [her] as either the popular cheerleader type or just the blonde".[13]

In early 2007, Panettiere appeared on the MTV show, Punk'd. The appearance was engineered by her mother and involved a male "fan" discussing her work with her, instigating a jealous reaction from the man's spouse. In April 2012, she hosted an episode of the new series.

In March 2012, it was announced Panettiere had been cast opposite Connie Britton on the ABC musical drama series Nashville, where she portrayed Juliette Barnes.[14][15][16] The show reunited Panettiere with Burgess Jenkins (who appears in the first few episodes) from Remember the Titans. The show moved from ABC to CMT for its fifth and sixth seasons, and concluded its run on July 26, 2018.

Panettiere made her feature film debut, albeit as a voice actor, for 1998's A Bug's Life,[17] but her first released film was the same year's The Object of My Affection, in which she appears briefly as a mermaid in the school play in the opening scene. In 1999, she portrayed the girl on a sinking sailboat in Message in a Bottle. She played the role of Coach Yoast's daughter, Sheryl, in the 2000 Disney film Remember the Titans. In 2004, she played Kate Hudson's title character's adolescent niece in Raising Helen. In 2005, she was the title character's rival in a skating contest in Ice Princess. In the same year she played the main (human) role in the film Racing Stripes as budding jockey Channing Walsh. She subsequently starred in 2006's Bring It On: All or Nothing as a cheerleader and had a supporting role as Adelaide Bourbon in the 2007 independent film Shanghai Kiss.

In June 2007, she signed with the William Morris Agency, after previously being represented by the United Talent Agency.[18] Forbes estimated that she earned $2 million in 2007.[19]

In 2008, Panettiere appeared in the drama Fireflies in the Garden as a younger version of Emily Watson's character, Jane Lawrence. In September 2008, she appeared in a satirical video, a mock-PSA for Funny or Die titled "Hayden Panettiere PSA: Your Vote, Your Choice".[20] In October, Panettiere appeared in another satirical PSA video on funnyordie.com titled "Vote for McCain: He's just like George Bush, except older and with a worse temper".[21]

In July 2009, Panettiere starred in the teen comedy I Love You, Beth Cooper. In September 2010, she starred as Amanda Knox in the controversial Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy.[22] Panettiere also provided the voice of Kate in 2010's Alpha and Omega.[23]

Panettiere in 2009

In April 2011, Panettiere appeared in the Scream sequel, Scream 4, playing Kirby Reed. The film received mixed reviews, but she received acclaim for her role and was considered to be a highlight. The same year she replaced Anne Hathaway as the voice of Red for the animated sequel Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil. In 2012, The Forger, in which she played the role of Amber, was released direct to DVD (both this and Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil were made in 2009).

In April 2015, Panettiere joined the cast of Custody,[24] alongside Viola Davis, whom she appeared with in 2006's The Architect.

Panettiere voiced Kairi in Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, although she was replaced by Alyson Stoner in several sequels; she briefly reprised her role in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and also voiced Xion in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.[25]

She voiced and modeled the character of Samantha "Sam" Giddings in Until Dawn, which was released on PlayStation 4 on August 25, 2015.[26]

Panettiere was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1999 for A Bug's Life.[27] In 2004, she recorded a song entitled "My Hero Is You" with a video for the Disney Channel film she starred in, Tiger Cruise, and "Someone Like You," a duet with Watt White for another film, The Dust Factory (also with an accompanying video). The next year she recorded a song entitled "I Fly" for the Disney film Ice Princess in which she also co-starred. She recorded a song for the Hollywood Records compilation Girl Next (2006) and another song entitled "Go to Girl" for Girl Next 2 (2007). Also in 2007, she recorded a cover for "Cruella De Vil" for Disneymania 5, "Try" for the Bridge to Terabithia soundtrack and a ballad called "I Still Believe" for Cinderella III: A Twist in Time.

Panettiere's first single not associated with an acting role, "Wake Up Call", was digitally released on August 5, 2008. The clothing brand Candie's announced that it was premiering an ad campaign for the single in late July. Candie's provided additional promotion for the single with a television advertisement and a music video.[28] Sebastian Stan, who portrayed the brother of Panettiere's character in The Architect, played her boyfriend in the video.

She has recorded several songs for Nashville, which were released as singles and included on the show's soundtrack albums. She also made numerous concert appearances associated with the show's touring promotion. In 2013, Panettiere recorded a version of "The Fabric of My Life" for a Cotton Incorporated campaign.[29]

In late 2006, Neutrogena made Panettiere the cover girl for their new worldwide ad campaign;[30] following in the footsteps of actresses Kristin Kreuk, Josie Bissett, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mandy Moore, Mischa Barton, Gabrielle Union and Jennifer Freeman. In September 2007, Panettiere appeared in a Heroes-themed Got Milk? ad for which the photographs were shot by Annie Leibovitz.[31] In February 2008, Kohl's announced that Panettiere would be their next Candie's spokesperson.[32] From 2007 to 2008, Panettiere designed limited edition hand bags for Dooney & Bourke and modeled their bags in magazine ads.[33][34][35]

In 2009, Panettiere was one of the celebrities featured in the coffee table book Room 23,[36] produced by Diana Jenkins and photographed by Deborah Anderson.[37]

• ^ADid not enter the Hot 100 but charted on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles