Girl Crush: Hayden Panettiere

[There are some women out there that we just can’t get out of our minds. No, we aren’t switching teams - yet - but we do have some serious crushes on some pretty fierce females. These ladies are all special in their own right and we aren’t ashamed to tell the world we love them.]

Despite the fact that I have issues pronouncing her last name, I have a huge girl crush on Hayden Panettiere.

Hayden has been around for awhile – starring in commercials at 11 months old, stealing the show at 11-years-old in Remember the Titans, and making appearances on The Guiding Light and One Life to Live – but my crush developed while watching her as Clare on Heroes, one of the kick-ass female leads. While Hayden may not have the ability to heal herself or run through fire in real life, she has shown herself to be a pretty kick-ass lady.

Hayden is an active animal-rights advocate.  She’s been arrested in Japan for interfering with a dolphin hunt, proving she’s not all talk.  On top of her work for animals, Hayden was also vocal during the 2008 election.  She was a strong supporter of Obama, though she encouraged young people to get out and vote before all else.

Like many celebs these days, Hayden has dealt with a lot of gossip and criticism. Who doesn’t remember when,   shortly after her 18th birthday, Hayden and co-star Milo Ventimiglia (who’s last name I also cannot pronounce), came out as an item? Normally this would have been in the tabloids based on the fact they are co-workers, but Hayden took an even bigger blow seeing as Milo is also 12 years her senior.

But she didn’t care. She just kept on going.

And look at her now. She’s super successful, not to mention gorgeous. This woman looks good in just about anything. And I should know, seeing as the paparazzi follow her and photograph her everywhere she is (including the gym…). Hayden’s also got a huge and varied fan-base, from tween girls to old people to Comic-con nerds, something that most celebrities can’t boast and something that means she might be around for awhile.

I love Hayden…a lot….for many reasons, but I think the coolest thing about her is that despite spending her entire life in front of a camera, she isn’t afraid to laugh at herself.  She filmed two “PSAs” for funnyordie – that made me LOL till stuff shot out of my nose. And isn’t that what crushes are made of?

Though there are no new Heroes episodes for the summer, I am looking forward to getting my Hayden fix in the new teen comedy, I Love You Beth Cooper. Hopefully that will get me through until my favorite show (with my favorite actress) starts up again.