Hayden Panettiere

She may not be indestructible like her kick-ass TV persona, but Heroes cheerleader Hayden Panettiere is trying to save the world in her own way, and we commend her for it.

The 18-year-old actress was involved in a confrontation with Japanese fishermen this week as she tried to disrupt a dolphin slaughter that takes place annually.

Along with five other marine activists, Hayden paddled out on a surfboard to reach a pod of dolphins to stop them from being driven into a nearby cove and killed.

But the six surfers, from Australia and the United States, were intercepted by a fishing boat before they could reach the dolphins.

The fishermen used the boat's propellers to block their way and at one point struck out at Hayden Panettiere and company with a boathook.

It was an ugly, potentially life-threatening confrontation that lasted more than 10 minutes before the surfers were forced to return to the beach.

It is believed that the dolphins were later taken into the cove and killed.

A keen surfer and committed marine conservationist who is a supporter of the campaign to save Japan's dolphins, Hayden Panettiere said:

"It was really frightening. Some of us were hit by the boathook. But in the end all we really worried about was the dolphins. It was so incredibly sad. We were so close to them and they were sky hopping, jumping out of the water to see us."

Breaking down in tears, the Heroes starlet added: "One little baby dolphin stuck his head out of the water and kinda looked at me and the thought that it's no longer with us is really hard to take."

Following the incident, the surfers drove straight to Osaka airport and left the country to avoid arrest by the Japanese national police.

All would have been charged with criminal trespassing, but Hayden Panettiere is now back in Los Angeles on the set of her hit TV series.

More than 22,000 dolphins are slaughtered by fishermen in Japan every year. The hunt continues despite worldwide condemnation.

In Taijie, more than 2,000 are killed in a season. Many Japanese believe dolphins should be treated like fish. They have been hunting the mammals for centuries and see criticism of this as an attack on their culture.

When celebrities wear the same hot dresses, our staffers have no choice but to do a celebrity fashion face-off. Especially if it's a couple of cuties like Jessica Simpson and Hayden Panettiere donning the stuff. But who will prevail?

The Heroes actress hit the streets of Manhattan in her "What Comes Around Goes Around minidress back in September, while the "singer" dazzled in a very similar sequined minidress at a Clothes Off Our Backs event in L.A. Peep it:

Who wore it better, Hayden or Jessica? You tell us!

If you ask The Hollywood Gossip, we'd have to take Hayden Panettiere. We like our celebrity fashion goddesses young, and compared to the Heroes star, Jessica is downright menopausal. Sorry, Jessica, you're sooooooo 2001.
Plus, Hayden has an I.Q. over 75 and doesn't get fingered by Cheri Oteri.

The tight pair of buns below - covered by the shortest of short shorts - belongs to everyone's favorite TV cheerleader, Heroes' Hayden Panettiere. Yowza.

We have no comment you haven't heard some version of before, or that doesn't make us incredibly dirty, so we'll just shut up and let you enjoy the pic ...

Hayden, who was recently presented a gold ring - a belated birthday present from "friend" and Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia - might want to pawn it and buy some jeans. Otherwise, not a lot of work is gonna get done around here.

They may deny any sort of romance, and Heroes co-stars James Kyson Lee, Masi Oka and Kristen Bell have all said on the record that they're not hitting it.

But Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere are SO hitting it.

Deny it all you want, Halo and friends. You're not fooling The Hollywood Gossip. Remember, Heroes fans. Masi Oka is a time-traveler, not a fortune teller.

The latest Halo proof - evidence that Milo Ventimiglia has been showing Hayden Panettiere his affections in a manner not consistent with mere friendship?

He bought her a ring.

A ring from Tiffany & Co.

According to In Touch Weekly, Milo, 30, gave Hayden an 18-karat gold ring - one karat for each year she's been alive! The ring is worth $1,950 and is her belated birthday present.

The sultry Hayden Panettiere, of course, became able to legally have relations - with voting machines! - back in August.

The ring Milo bought Hayden, called Somerset Heart, features a woven band and a heart, and according to the magazine, is inscribed:

"Sweet like Hayden."

Awww. We think it's sweet. And sexy. Frankly, we're not sure what the scandal is here.

Co-workers date all the time. Hayden's an adult, and should be able to see Milo Ventimiglia shirtless all she wants. If Woody Allen can marry his adopted daughter, we don't see the problem in 18 and 30-year-olds tanging it.

Go Halo!

With roles on two hot television shows this fall, Kristen Bell is giving Lauren Conrad a run for her adorable, blonde money. Plus, she can actually act!

Below, Kristen Bell joins her Heroes co-star, Hayden Panettiere - quite the pair of cuties, we'd say - at a Christian Louboutin cocktail party hosted by Saks Fifth Avenue & Style.com at Hollywood's S Bar on Wednesday.

Bell, the former star of Veronica Mars, has signed on for a 13-episode story arc on Heroes, and is reportedly being considered as a full-time cast member after that.

She also serves as the mysterious narrator on The CW's Gossip Girl - Kristen Bell voices the mysterious girl who blogs high school gossip. It's actually a pretty good show, for those of you who haven't checked it out.

As for Bell's counterpart in the picture above, she's everywhere these days - and the 18-year-old starlet with beauty and brains is quite the fashion connoisseur.

"These were my birthday gift," Hayden Panettiere said of the black peep-toe shoes she wore in honor of designer Christian Louboutin. "I'm addicted!"

We love Hayden Panettiere, and a big part of our infatuation is due to that hot, sexy ... brain of hers! She knows it, too. Here our girl Hayden is sporting a shirt proclaiming "This Girl's a Genius" as she exits the hot Koi restaurant in L.A. with mother and manager Lesley Panettiere. Anything but coy, if you ask us!

Hayden Panettiere: Beauty and brains! Sign us up!

She might be a girl genius who's on the market, as well. If you believe her co-star Kristen Bell, at least - Bell burst the Halo (Hayden Panettiere, Milo Ventimiglina) bubble at The Alliance for Children's Rights benefit in Beverly Hills.

"[Hayden and Milo Ventimiglia] are great friends. They're not dating," she said.

Well, that officially settles that. Okay, not really. This could be just a conspiracy... one that is being very well covered up. Go Halo!

Hot Heroes star Hayden Panettiere was out with her MILF mom and manager and her little brother, Jansen Panettiere, at a Halo party in Hollywood.

No, really, she was.

We all know Halo as the amalgam of Hayden Panettiere and her 30-year-old co-star boyfriend (though they deny it) Milo Ventimiglia.

But Halo 3 is also the third game in a popular video game trilogy. And they threw a big bash commemorating the game's release and Hayden went. How fitting.

Did we mention Hayden Panettiere looked absolutely tremendous in this short Roman goddess dress? Hel-lo! How come she couldn't find a date other than her bro? Oh well. We suppose it's nice that she and Jansen Panettiere hang out.

All in the Panettiere family: Hayden, Jansen and mom Leslie.

Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia are not dating, okay? They're just spotted together, a lot, and can't take their eyes off each other.

Then again, if the alternative is watching NHL action, perhaps that doesn't mean as much as we think it does. After all, what are they supposed to do? Count on the L.A. Kings game Saturday night to entertain them?

But come on. You can't deny the exchange of "I am going to tear your clothes off in a cheap motel later" looks between Halo in the picture below.

Hayden Panettiere, 18, and Milo Ventimiglia, 30, attracted lots of attention from fans and cameras throughout the game. Including this woman who just wants them to knock it off with the PDAs so she can watch in peace! Gosh. 

Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere: Big fans of the NHL. And each other.

Regardless of whether or not they are anything more than friends, Heroes returns tonight with an all-new episode, entitled "Kindred." Hayden, Milo and their host of talented co-stars will be prominently featured!

Hayden Panettiere takes a break from being pumped up about the return of Heroes (and being pumped by Milo Ventimiglia, if you know what we mean), filling up her car on the way to the studio yesterday.

Something about Hayden Panettiere holding a hose just turns us on. You?

We imagine this is almost a daily occurrence for the petite, 18-year-old star and her gas-guzzling Porsche Cayenne. Way to look out for the environment!

We'll have you know, Hayden, that our celebrity gossip interns have to ride bikes to work. Partly because they can't afford cars on such meager wages, of course.

But still, we do our part to go green here at The Hollywood Gossip, and are proud of it. It's time celebrities hold up their end of the bargain.

What would Milo Ventimiglia say about this?

Just when we were ready to christen Halo (Milo and Hayden Panettiere) the newest celebrity couple - regardless of whether the Heroes co-stars admit to getting freaky or not - along comes this picture of our girl with another popular TV star, and potentially forming another celebrity couple name.

Hevin.

That's right, here's Hayden with Kevin Connolly, a funny and short actor who has dated Nicky Hilton and has been romantically linked to Haylie Duff ...

Hayden Panettiere & Kevin Connolly: Hevin?

While the Entourage star certainly gets around, heaven might be the best way to describe dating Hayden Panettiere. You know what they say about "barely legal" 18-year olds. They can vote! And buy their own lotto tickets and cigarettes!