Hayden Panettiere: Teen Queen In "I Love You Beth Cooper"

CEBU, Philippines - After shooting into popular consciousness as the indestructible cheerleader Claire in “Heroes,” Hayden Panettiere enwraps herself once more as a cheerleader in the upcoming PG-13 MTRCB-rated comedy “I Love You Beth Cooper.”

Hayden takes on the role of Beth Cooper, the hottest and most sought-after girl in school.   Beth is shocked when school nerd and valedictorian Dennis Cooverman (Paul Rust), declares his undying love for her in his graduation speech. Dennis is equally surprised when Beth turns up on his doorstep that night and promises to show him the time of his life. The only down side is that Beth is pursued by her psychotic and overprotective military ex-boyfriend, Kevin (Shawn Roberts) who witnessed Dennis’s declaration and is now threatening to kill Dennis.

The utterly charming Panettiere further talks about her teen years and the ups and downs of being popular.

Q: What is Beth Cooper like?

A: “She's a very interesting character who undergoes a real evolution. In the beginning the audience probably won’t really like her. She is kind of a nasty girl, the popular girl. And then you discover over the course of the film that she's actually doesn't think much of herself. She is actually a very nice girl with a big heart, but really struggling in life.

Q: Can you discuss the story and what it says about the high school experience? 

A: “The story is interesting because it focuses on five people who come from really different social groups, who would not normally have anything to do with each other. There are always those kids at school you would never hang out with. You know who they are   but you never talked to them. These five people come together and actually meet   and realize that they're not so different after all.

Q: Have you ever had a moment when you professed your love to somebody   like Dennis does?

A: “I did. His name was Mike. I was madly in love with him and I was seven years old. I told him I loved him and I remember him telling me that he was actually in love with my best friend at the time. He told me to tell her and I was so jealous. I remember I threw a Jolly Rancher (candy) at his face.”

Q: Did you enjoy bonding with your co-stars?

A: “Yes, it was really fun; it's a nice change for me, working with people around my age. I think it was a great experience for all of us because we had to learn quickly how to work with each other. It's a growing experience to be around people with varying opinions and views of the world.”

Q: What does this film say about the archetypal   gorgeous, popular girl at school?

A: “I think a lot of the popular girls struggle within themselves to find out who they really are. They are always pleasing everybody else because at the end of the day, when you're popular you want to make sure that you keep being popular and you keep your friends, and that is hard.” 

Q: What was your experience at high school like?

A: “Well, I found that I fit in much better in high school than I did in middle school. Middle school (age 11 to 14) was brutal. I think it is so much worse than high school because that is when you get the   cliques and you either don't fit in or you do fit in. Everything revolved around lunch and where you sat in the lunchroom.   And, oh my gosh, sometimes I just wanted to take my tray in to the bathroom and sit by myself.

Q: What's it like to be   a teenage role model?

A: “It is a responsibility because you’re judged so harshly in this industry and that means any little mistake you make could appear huge in other people’s eyes. I worry a lot about messing up.   At the end of the day, people still have to understand that we're humans and we do make mistakes, stupid ones. You have to find that balance between being a good role model for them, being a human being for yourself and being able to make good decisions as well as all accepting those mistakes.”

Q: Do you like Beth’s style?

A: “I would never wear the things she wears; I would never have my bra hanging out and wear such low necked dresses, and I would never want that much attention from people. She likes attention and being in the spotlight. I get very shy and the thought of people looking at me makes me uncomfortable.”

Q: Can you discuss your own style?

A: “I have a very eclectic taste; I wear everything. I really like little cute dresses. I like tube tops and little tight, sexy dresses, but I also love that classy kind of hot secretary look, where everything's covered up - the black pencil skirt and the tucked in white button-up shirt.   I'm a big shoes girl, that's my biggest thing. I love Christian Louboutin shoes and Yves Saint Laurent shoes.

Accomplished actress Hayden Panettiere stars   in the popular TV drama “Heroes.” Her film credits include “Fireflies in the Garden,” “The Architect,” “The Good Student,” “Shanghai Kiss,” “Ice Princess,” “Raising Helen,” “Remember the Titans,” “The Affair of the Necklace and “The Object of my Affection.” The 19-year-old is a spokesperson for The Whaleman Foundation, an oceanic non-profit conservation, research and production organization dedicated to preserving and protecting dolphins, whales and the oceans.

“I Love You Beth Cooper” opens September 9 in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.