Hayden Panettiereis an established Hollywood actress with acareer spanning thirty years, having first risen to prominence in Pixar’sA Bug’s Life.The talented performer made her full-time acting debut when she appeared at just five years old on the soap operaOne Life to Livein 1994 and began to take the industry by storm with subsequent appearances in films likeRemember the Titans,Tiger Cruise, andBring It On: All or Nothing.
In the later 2000s, Panettiere shifted her focus to the small screen and landed memorable roles in the superhero seriesHeroesand musical dramaNashville,garnering two Golden Globe nods for her work in the latter program. From portraying a fierce final girl inScream 4to starring as real-life activist and murder suspect Amanda Knox, the actress has consistently demonstrated her range as a performer. These are some of Hayden Panettiere’s best performances.
12Bring It On: All or Nothing
Hayden Panettiere appeared opposite Solange Knowles-Smith as dueling cheerleaders in the 2006 comedyBring It On: All or Nothing, the third installment in the enduring franchise. This movie follows high school it girl Britney Allen as she finds her life completely turned upside down after her wealthy father loses his job, and they move to a working-class neighborhood, where she experiences intense culture shock.
The former cheerleading captain at her school, Britney goes toe-to-toe with her new teammate and leader Camille, and sets out to prove naysayers wrong by showcasing her athleticism and fighting spirit on the court. Despite failing to impress critics,All or Nothingwas a hit with viewers and earned a 70% Rotten Tomatoes audience score, and was deemed a worthy addition to the fan-favorite series.
11Ice Princess
Michelle Trachtenberg stars as a Harvard bound academically-gifted teenager who decides to take a major detour and pursue her dreams of becoming a figure skater in the 2005 teen sports dramedyIce Princess. It follows the ambitious Casey Carlyle as she demonstrates her skills on the ice as she competes for a spot in the important US National circuit.
Related:The 25 Most Underrated Sports Movies Ever Made
Panettiere appears as Casey’s competitor and friend Gennifer “Gen” Harwood, whose mother and former professional skater (Kim Cattrall) takes the aspiring athlete under her wing. Regardless of its formulaic storyline, the heartwarming flick featured endearing performances by its leads and proved to be an enjoyable, feel-good Disney original.
In the 2016 courtroom dramaCustody, Oscar-winner Viola Davis portrays a New York City judge tasked with overseeing a difficult case involving a single Latina mother fighting to be reunited with her children following a domestic violence incident. Panettiere portrays the woman’sgifted but inexperienced young attorneywho is appointed to her pro bono, and who will do everything in her power to make sure the family is brought back together once again.
The emotionally-driven film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival where it garnered a mixed-bag response, with some critics unimpressed by its generic plot but nonetheless blown away by the talented ensemble cast’s compelling performances.
9Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy
Panettiere portrayed real-life murder suspect and activist Amanda Knox in the 2011 Lifetime original true crime filmAmanda Knox: Murder on Trail in Italy. The movie chronicles the events leading up to the murder of Meredith Kercher in 2007 and the ensuing trial of Knox, Kercher’s roommate at the time of her death.
Panettiere’s showcased her dramatic acting chops in the engrossing drama and was eager to branch out for the project,revealing to Colliderwhat attracted her to the film. “I just find it such a riveting story. It’s just so interesting and so wild. It’s a twisted story. And, the fact that I got to play somebody that is alive and is a real person was just a challenge that I was really excited to take on.”
Undeniably one of Disney’s most underappreciated creations in recent decades, the 2000 life-action/computer-animated adventure filmDinosaurfollows an iguanodon dinosaur named Aladar who was adopted and brought up by a kind-hearted group of lemurs, and who’s peaceful existence is rocked after a meteor shower turns their island oasis to a desolate and lifeless wasteland. Aladar and his family set out on a dangerous journey to find a new place to call home, coming across both friends and foes on their quest to find sanctuary.
Panettiere voices the character Suri, a sweet and playful lemur who is Aladar’s adopted sister, joining fellow actors like D.B. Sweeney, Julianna Margulies, and Alfre Woodard in the emotionally-moving film.Dinosaurwas raved about for its breathtaking visuals and realistic animation style, though received criticism for its unoriginal premise; at the time, it was allegedly themost expensive computer-animated movieof all time, with a budget of $127.5 million.
7Tiger Cruise
Bill Pullman and Hayden Panettiere headlined the 2004Disney Channel Original MovieTiger Cruise, which is based on the tragic events of the September 11 attacks and centers on the real-life aircraft carrier USSConstellationas it makes its way home on the devastating day the United States was attacked. The movie chronicles the reaction and response of the vessel’s shell-shocked crew members. The fictional storyline focuses on Commander Gary Dolan (Pullman) as he and his bright young daughter Maddie (Panettiere) struggle with the discovery of the attacks as theConstellationgoes on full alert and Dolan takes action to keep his crew and civilians safe.
Tiger Cruiseattracted 3.8 million viewersupon its television debut, earning praise for its mature and sobering subject matter, a deviation from Disney’s normal original releases. In their glowing review of the drama, South Florida Sun-Sentinel complimented Pullman and Panettiere and stated they “give such fine, well-matched performances that neither character has an edge. Their understated acting also prevents the movie from capsizing into sappiness.”
In the 2003 made-for-television dramaNormal, Tom Wilkinson portrays a devoted family man in a 25-year marriage with two children who shocks his loved ones when he announces his intentions to transition into a female named Ruth, causing waves in their tight-knit community. Jessica Lange appears as Ruth’s grief-stricken wife Irma, who struggles with her husband’s reveal as he decides to transition and have a sex change operation.
The couple’s daughter Patty Ann (Panettiere) is more supportive and accepting of her father’s decision, while their son Wayne (Joseph Sikora) is angry and humiliated by the declaration. The poignant picture details Ruth’s struggles and the ostracism she faces at both her work and church as her family also attempts to accept the life-altering transformation.Normalwon a Primetime Emmy Award and earned three Golden Globe nominations, while also holding an impressive 100% Rotten Tomatoes score.
5Nashville
With a dynamic cast including Hayden Panettiere, Connie Britton, Eric Close, and Powers Boothe, the 2012 musical drama seriesNashvillefocuses on singers and rivals Rayna Jaymes and Juliette Barnes as they compete to be the reigning country queen and chart dominator. Jaymes (Britton) is an established superstar whose power and popularity are waning, while Barnes (Panettiere) is the industry’s latest sensation who challenges the music vet for her crown.
Panettiere showcased not only her acting talent but also her vocal capabilities in the lively show, which ran for six successful seasons after switching networks in 2016 following its premature cancelation; the cast members took their final bows in 2018. During its tenure,Nashvillewon numerous accolades such as a Critics' Choice Television Award and Academy of Country Music Award, with Panettiere nabbing a Golden Globe nod for her performance.
4Remember the Titans
Widely regarded as one of the greatest football films of all time, the 2000 biographical sports dramaRemember the Titanstells the uplifting true tale of high school football coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) as he fights to integrate a Virginia school’s team in 1971 and bring his players together alongside assistant coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton). Featuring the additional talents of Ryan Hurst, Donald Faison, Ryan Gosling, and Hayden Panettiere as Yoast’s spunky daughter Sheryl, the inspiring drama helped tell the real-life moving story and touts a phenomenalperformance by Washington.
Remember the Titanswas a massive hit with moviegoers, earning over $136 million at the box office while receiving a rare A+ CinemaScore from audiences, while critics celebrated the drama’s thought-provoking plot and stellar cast portrayals. It won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture and Panettiere took home the Young Artist Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In the fourth entry of the enduring,pulse-pounding franchise, the 2011 slasherScream 4once again follows the terrifying serial killer Ghostface as he terrorizes the town of Woodsboro on the fifteenth anniversary of the original murders, targeting the students of Woodsboro High. Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette reprise their roles while introducing new characters Jill Roberts (Emma Roberts) and Kirby Reed (Panettiere) as the film’s primary protagonists and high school seniors who are hunted by Ghostface alongside Sidney Prescott.
Kirby quickly became the installment’s breakout character and an instant fan-favorite, with her sassy and strong-willed on-screen counterpart proving to be a worthy adversary against Ghostface.Scream 4was a box office hit and Panettiere briefly reprised her role in 2022’sScreambefore fully returning for 2023’sScream VI, doing s to massive fanfare by devoted viewers.
