Actress Hayden Panettiere has spoken out in defense of Paris Hilton’s airheaded party girl image, insisting the heiress is actually a “genius.”

The 18-year-old Heroes star, who has actually been a close friend of Paris Hilton’s for several years (?!), says the 27-year-old media slut socialite is actually more level-headed than the dumb “character” she projects to the public.

Hayden Panettiere says of Paris Hilton:

“She’s a nice girl and a lot brighter than people give her credit (for) but no one sees her like that because she plays this character all the time.”

“She’s actually a marketing genius.”

You know, she may be right. Paris probably paid Hayden for this positive PR … diabolical. We’re just surprise she didn’t defend Kim Kardashian too.