NEWS: Why Hollywood won't cast Hayden Panettiere anymore

Hayden Leslie Panettiere (born August 21, 1989) is an actress.

With a gorgeous face, a gift for music, and a hit primetime TV series under her belt, Hayden Panettiere was supposed to be Hollywood's next big thing circa 2006. But ten years after she became a breakout star on Heroes, the actress isn't anywhere near as famous—or busy—as expected. What happened?

Unlike a lot of stars who've been working in Hollywood since they were just a few years old, Panettiere never experienced growing pains when it came to shedding the mantle of childhood. After making her mark as a cute-as-a-button kiddo in films such as Remember the Titans (2000), her big break came when she scored the role of an unbreakable teenage dream girl on NBC's hit series, Heroes. When the supernatural drama debuted in 2006, the 17-year-old actress was front and center as its most recognizable star, and her character, Claire Bennett, was an instant fan favorite. Save the cheerleader, save the world!

Unfortunately, what should have been a career-making breakout series—and a part Panettiere could have played for years as a great way to bridge the gap until it was time to take on more adult roles in more serious projects—went super-sour, super-fast. After being initially heralded as an addictively watchable new series on a par with LOST (2004-10), Heroes took a ratings nosedive after its second season, and the producers' efforts to resuscitate it (by cramming up the already-convoluted drama with even more characters and storylines) only made things worse. The result wasn't good for the careers of anyone involved, but Panettiere arguably had it worst. By the time the show was cancelled in 2010, she'd spent four years of her life as the de facto face of a flailing, failing series. While she was blameless in the show's demise, being so inextricably associated with it definitely didn't help when it came time seek more work.

 Hayden Panettiere in Heroes