"Heroes" Star Hayden Panettiere to Appear Nude in "I Love You Beth Cooper"

In a surprise move that will make her even more of a hero to her die-hard fans, Hayden Panettiere, who plays Claire Bennet on the NBC series "Heroes," will appear without her cheerleader outfit, or anything else, in the new romantic comedy "I Love You Beth Cooper." According to the "Kansas City Star," Panettiere drops her towel in one locker room scene.

"I mean, I might as well show it now"

The 20-year-old Panettiere plays the title role in "I Love You Beth Cooper," the story of a high school valedictorian who declares his love for the most popular girl during his graduation speech. Surprisingly enough, an intrigued Beth Cooper shows up at his house later that night.

Panettiere, who was quoted in the "Kansas City Star" as saying "I mean, I might as well show it now," first gained popularity as a little girl obsessed with football in "Remember the Titans" and for a regular role on the daytime drama "The Guiding Light." Combined with her role in "Heroes," "Beth Cooper" completes Panettiere's graduation to adult actress.

Hayden Panettiere Not the First Child Star to Go Nude

Back in the 1960's, Walt Disney reportedly asked Annette Funicello to wear only modest, one-piece bathing suits in the "Beach Party" movies to preserve her good girl image. Times certainly have changed, though, and Hayden Panettiere now becomes the latest former child star to make a huge leap to adulthood by showing some skin for the camera:

• Danica McKellar, who played adorable, girl-next-door Winnie Cooper on "The Wonder Years," gave her acting career a boost by posing in lingerie for a 2005 "Stuff" magazine pictorial.

• "Princess Diary" star Anne Hathaway had a surprising nude scene in the groundbreaking drama "Brokeback Mountain." As Lureen Newsome, Hathaway appears topless with Jake Gyllenhaal, who plays rodeo star Jack Twist.

• Amy Jo Johnson, who earned quite a following as the Pink Power Ranger on the Fox Kids series "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," has a nude bedroom scene in the 2003 release "The Pursuit of Happiness."

• The late Dana Plato, who starred as Kimberly in the 1970's sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes," tried to revive her acting career by posing in a revealing 1989 "Playboy" pictorial, but the last 10 years of her life were plagued with problems.

• In a surprising move, "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe appeared nude in a 2007 London West End revival of the play "Equus." Since the "Harry Potter" film franchise is still in production, it was unusual for Radcliffe to take on such a mature role at the time.

• After playing Judy Winslow on the ABC sitcom "Family Matters," Jaimee Foxworth was written out of the show and later appeared in a series of adult movies.

Resources:

Lisa Gutierrez, "Hayden Panettiere: If you've got it, flaunt it," Kansascity.com

http://www.danicamckellar.com/

http://www.theonion.com/content/amvo/harry_potter_nude

http://www.kellie-williams.com/cast.htm