Hollywood Gossip!
Hayden Panettiere to star as Foxy Knoxy (Amanda Knox) on Lifetime channel?
[Feb. 21]
Hayden Panettiere, best known for her role as Claire Bennet, the cheerleader who has miracle healing powers in the NBC hit series Heroes, is slated to star as Amanda Knox (a.k.a. Foxy Knoxy), the now 22-year-old American student accused of murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, while the two resided in Italy. The film will premiere on the Lifetime channel later this month, and the Hollywood gossip surrounding the latest news updates on the tragic story have kept the topic on Google trending.
Why? Because it seems Knox’ parents are protesting the film, saying it could hurt Amanda Knox’ chances on appeal. Knox, and her co-defendants, boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and a third killer, Rudy Guede, are all currently awaiting an appeal trial regarding the murder. Furthermore, Panettiere is of Italian descent, which may lend itself to the controversy.
Meredith Kercher’s family doesn’t seem to like it any more. “A gruesome murder sequence in Lifetime’s “The Amanda Knox Story” has reportedly been cut after Amanda Knox’s and Meredith Kercher’s family complained about the scene,” reports The New York Daily News.
Hayden Panettiere’s opinion on the Amanda Knox matter is captured by ETonline:
“It is very fact driven and Lifetime is great with doing things like that and fact checking,” Panettiere tells ET Online. “I don’t think there is anything in there that would sway an opinion or have any impact negatively or positively on her appeal. I think if the family saw it, they would probably be much more relaxed then they are about it now. Maybe the parents would. I don’t know if she would or not. I don’t know if that would be a good idea to have to relive the whole experience of it. That is up to her.”
One can’t imagine a fairer portrayal of Amanda Knox on the Lifetime premiere later this month. Hayden Panettiere is known for her green lifestyle and charitable causes. As a star in Heroes, Hayden Panettiere worked with then boyfriend Milo Ventimiglia to help with donations for Autism Speaks.
In Christmas 2008, Panettiere went on a shopping spree with $500 each for five girls with aneurysms, strokes, paralysis of the nerves and spine and sickle-cell anemia.
Actress Hayden Panettiere is also known on the list of green celebrities for her Save the Whale causes, selling her old clothes through to raise money for environmental causes and animal rights charities.
Perhaps the most interesting and down-to-earth capture of actress Hayden Panettiere’s charitableness is this story, where she gave a homeless man change while fueling up at a gas station. Her Hollywood story is one about being kind to all — humans as a humanitarian and animals as a pet friendly and eco friendly celebrity.
If Amanda Knox wants as fair a trial as possible, being portrayed by actress Hayden Panettiere is actually on Knox’ side when it comes to wanting celebrity justice.
Whether Amanda Knox is guilty or not is still up in the air, according to the law, but Panettiere is definitely not out to hurt anyone. Asked about the controversy and assumptions surrounding the Lifetime premiere, and whether it could hurt Amanda Knox’ chance on appeal, Panetierre said, “To which I would respond: ‘Look, they are going to see this film whether it is me playing it or not. At least I can sit in fornt of you and say I will do my best to do you justice.'”
Well, Ms. Knox … Italian or not, Hayden Panettiere may be the best chance for celebrity justice you can get.