Hayden Panettiere is a plucky combination of sweet sexy girl and tough ruthless heroine. She charms you with an innocent smile one minute, only to flash challenge and invincible strength the next. Perhaps that’s what makes her character in Heroes so appealing. Alluring beauty and extraordinary power combine to create a female superhero who has both the looks and abilities to turn around a tricky situation.

Heroes is a series about a group of ordinary people bestowed with superpower. Panettiere portrays the popular high school cheerleader which every girl dreams of becoming. She is naïve and has the same vulnerabilities as any teenager her age. But she slowly discovers her powers and learns to use them to help others. This is new wine in an old bottle. The tale has been told again and again but Panettiere lends the role a fresh appeal and glamour. She is sexy, charming and strong.

While teenage boys have Batman, Spiderman, Superman, and Harry Potter to look up to, female girls hardly have any fantasy female characters as role models. Other than Mary Poppins and the teenage witch, Panettiere as Claire Bennet in Heroes comes closest to a real-life figure any idealistic teenager can admire. She is the life Barbie and Superwoman rolled up into one.