WITH A PASSION FOR GOOD WORKS AND A STYLE ALL HER OWN, HAYDEN PANETTIERE IS A MODERN-DAY WONDER WOMAN

“In Hollywood,” Hayden Panettiere declares, “there is no such thing as being a nice girl. Or being, you know, not messed up.

June/July 2008 Teen Vogue Cover Girl Hayden Panettiere

WITH A PASSION FOR GOOD WORKS AND A STYLE ALL HER OWN, HAYDEN PANETTIERE IS A MODERN-DAY WONDER WOMAN

If you’re not, they’ll make you that way,” she says – “they” referring, of course, to the tabloid press. Having spent, by her estimate, approximately seventeen of her eighteen-and-a-half years employed by the entertainment industry, the actress has had ample time to consider this conundrum. But it’s only in the past two years, ever since Heroes – the TV series in which she plays an injury-proof cheerleader – became a smash hit, that Hayden’s had to deal with the dilemma firsthand. “Nothing is private,” she continues, “and when they write about you, it’s almost always completely false.” Does that include her romance with Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia? Hayden refuses to confirm or deny their relationship. “I’ll not comment until the day I die! Denial,” she concludes, with a wide grin.

Despite the downsides, the Los Angeles-based star – who grew up just outside New York City “going to soccer games, going to football games, doing everything that somebody in high school would or should do” – says that she truly loves what she does. Her mother, a former actress, got Hayden into the business when she was a baby, and spent almost eight years on soap operas before moving on to bigger parts in sitcoms such as Malcolm in the Middle and movies like 2005’s Ice Princess; still, she says her pre-Heroes resume didn’t quite prepare her for the “almost overnight” fame that comes from appearing on a popular TV show. “It shakes you up,” she admits. “It’s like they flip your life upside down. But it’s opened tremendous doors for me.”

Hayden’s success – and the celebrity that goes along with it – does have its advantages. “The show put me in a place to speak for things that I’m passionate about,” she explains, citing animal rights as an example. Hayden believes that her work on behalf of whales and dolphins has significantly raised awareness of the cause. Animal welfare has always been Hayden’s cause of choice. “When I was younger, I’d always donate to the humane society,” she says. Hayden shares her home with her two dogs, Penny Lane and Madison and her cat Raleigh.

How did Hayden develop her signature sense of style? “I have the same sense of style that I did when I was growing up, but now I wear things that I might not have when I was younger, because I’m much more comfortable with my body. I’m definitely a jeans and tee shirt girl,” she confesses. “I dress down and comfy whenever I can, which makes dressing up more exciting.” Is there a certain look that she loves? “I really like to look polished. I love pencil skirts and flirty dresses – but I’m not picky when it comes to designers; I could find something great to wear from French Connection or Gucci,” she says. “I have a lot of fun dressing up and deciding what kind of look I want to go for depending on the event.”

What’s next for our favorite heroine? The girl who says she “used to lose out to actresses who had more of a ‘name’” is now working with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. She appears alongside Julia Roberts in the upcoming drama Fireflies in the Garden and spent her spring shooting director Chris Columbus’s I Love You, Beth Cooper, in which she plays the titular popular girl – another cheerleader, though she’s quick to note that the movie is “not about that” – who receives an unexpected, and very public declaration of love at her high school graduation. In addition to these roles, Hayden’s been using her Heroes downtime to record her debut album for Hollywood Records.

The June/July 2008 issue of TEEN VOGUE is on sale nationwide May 20, 2008. Get exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and the inside scoop on Hayden’s cover shoot with TEEN VOGUE at: teenvogue.com/go/hayden