‘Heroes’ creator Tim Kring makes surprising confession about late Hayden Panettiere

Tim Kring revealed why Hayden Panettiere was perfect for Heroes.

The iconic TV series, Heroes was created by Tim Kring while the late actress portrayed the character of Claire Bennet who was a high school cheerleader.

Recently, speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Tim revealed that they couldn’t afford “really known actors,” for the film.

So they were looking to cast people who “felt like they were ordinary people.”

He went on to say, “Yes, they might be a little better looking than you or me, but I was going for that relatability of the everyman quality.”

However, Tim said that Hayden's character was presented “as the cheerleader who you had the crush on, not the one that everybody else had the crush on. So not the golden girl, but slightly quirky, with something offbeat about her.”

“We did not look very far; we saw [Panettiere], and that was it,” the series creator recalled.

Tim further praised Hayden's charm and impressive acting range, saying, “First of all, she was an extraordinary actress.”

“She just embodied that girl-next-door quality, and then her range was exceptional.”

He continued, “It was just pure talent that walked in the door.”

“There’s nobody in my head that we saw other than her. For some of the other parts, I can remember other actors from casting, but no, she was it,” Tim further acknowledged.

It is pertinent to mention here that Hayden died on August 16, 2026, at her residence in Greenville, South Carolina.