Hayden Panettiere lets us in on her motivation to move to Nashville and immerse herself in her new role. Along the way Hayden also reveals her love of country music and being put in her place on the set of Heroes.
On her time in Heroes
"It’s important to stay grounded. As a child actor, you can be surrounded by a lot of 'yes' people. If they let you get away with a certain behaviour, you start thinking it's completely normal. Being part of a cast you know will always be honest and that you can trust, like I had with Heroes, was a blessing. I had a bunch of 'big brothers' on the show who put me in my place, were brutally honest with me, and told me to knock it off. If anybody started acting like a diva, they'd get put back back in their place. That’s what you need."
Nashville - Her character
Hayden plays Juliette Barnes, a country singer and former teen star sensation who is determined to replace Rayna as the top superstar of country music.
"My character in Nashville can be nasty… But vulnerable too. If that scale tipped too far either way, she’d become uninteresting and unlikable. Thanks to the show’s great writing, you see why she behaves the way she does. You also get to understand how biting this industry is."
The attraction of music
"The music was a huge draw for me. I love singing and I love country music. I was a little nervous about some of the songs, as it’s a very specific genre of country music, but over time I really got in to it."
On Fashion
"In LA, you have to be conscious of your style. Not like in the UK. I love it that you can go for it and do anything – and actually have fun with fashion!"
Where is home?
"Home is now Nashville - I moved there to immerse myself in it all. But now, even if something did happen to the show, Nashville will always be a part of my life and I’ll always have a base there"
The full interview appears in the September issue of Company Magazine on sale in newsagents
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