Hayden Leslie Panettiere was born on 21st August 1989 in Palisades, New York. Hayden still lives with her parents Lesley & Skip and younger brother Jansen, but is soon moving out to live with her boyfriend (Heroes co-star) Milo Ventimiglia. Her mom, Lesley got Hayden started in the business by doing commercials when she was just 11 months old. Then at only 4 1/2 she was cast on the soap opera One Life To Live, where she remained until 1997. Since then, she has gone on to appear in many feature films and TV movies. Before Heroes Hayden was probably best known in the United States for her role as Lizzie Spaulding, whom she has portrayed since 1996, on the daytime drama Guiding Light. 

Hayden has starred in Remember the Titans with Denzil Washington and Joe Somebody with Tim Allen. Hayden grew up in a suburb of New York City with her parents, younger brother, Jansen, and a houseful of animals. She recently made the move to Los Angeles because her role in Heroes demands her to be on set filming almost all week. When Hayden isn't working, she enjoys hanging with her friends, singing, dancing, equestrian, volleyball, and has even tried her hand in surfing!

Hayden has been involved with many animated movies, beginning with A Bug's Life (as Dot), later to follow was Dinosaur. Kingdom Hearts and The Mark of Kri, were also voice overs but for Playstation 2 Video Games. Hayden then joined the likes of Jessica Lang, Tom Wilkinson, Jane Anderson and Clacy Brown in Normal the movie about a midwestern husband and father that announces his plans to have a sex change operation, the movie made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival. Also in July 2003

Hayden appeared in a John Guare play called, "Landscape of the Body", for the Williams town theatre festival, in Williamstown Massachusetts. Raising Helen co-staring with Kate Hudson, was a big hit for Hayden, opening the eyes of many young teenagers. The Dust Factory where she has the star lead as Melanie Lewis, Tiger Cruise co-staring Bill Pullman a movie based on the September 11th events did well as a tv movies. Hayden sang the movie theme song for the movie.

Racing Stripes has also been great for Hayden internationally. The movie was a big success for not just kids but adults too. Hayden recently released Disney's Ice princess co-staring Michelle Trachtenberg, which made it to number 3 at the box office. Shortly after the TV Movie, Lies My Mother Told Me was released on Lifetime Television, Hayden co-stared with Joely Richardson.

More recently, Hayden starred in the independent film The Architect opposite Anthony LaPaglia and Isabella Rosselini which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, and Mr. Gibb for Kevin Spacey's company, Triggerstreet. Hayden then landed the lead in teen movie Bring it On: All or Nothing, the sequel to Universal's box office hit. Hayden plays the young love of Asian-American actor Ken Leung in the upcoming romantic comedy Shanghai Kiss which sadly is a straight to DVD movie.

Of course now, across the globe Hayden is knownas Claire Bennet, a high school cheerleader in Odessa, Texas, who learns through trial-and-error that her flesh is indestructible. Heroes follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. This show has been a huge success and Hayden has signed on for a 6 year contract.

Among other projects, Hayden is the face of Neutrogena and is actively involved with the Save The Whales Campaign. As part of the latest deal linking its teen clothing line to a young female music act, fashion brand Candie's will help promote the song "Wake Up Call" from "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere's forthcoming album from Hollywood Records, due out in 2009.

October 2008 saw the release of her latest film project Fireflies In The Garden, staring Julia Roberts. Hayden also released and starred in I Love You Beth Cooper which was filmed in Vancover. The film is based on bestselling novel by Larry Doyle. Next in line she will be filming Alpha and Omega with Christina Ricci and Dennis Hopper due for release later this year.