Young Hollywood actresses nowadays are often consistent in their public images: narcissistic, reckless, party-hard, fashion-forward and scandal-ridden. It's not too often that the old comes across a young television and film personality who is genuinely passionate about a cause bigger than herself and is doing something about it.

Hayden Panettiere, most known for her role as Claire Bennett on the now-defunct cult TV series, “Heroes,” is popular not just for her acting, singing and commercial endorsements, but also for her environmental campaigns against whale hunting. A member of The Whaleman Foundation, Panettiere has been actively pushing for countries to stop hunting whales, and was even involved in a much-publicized scuffle between her group and Japanese fishermen in Taiji, Wakayama when they tried to stop a dolphin hunt. Panettiere has submitted letters of protest to Norway and Japan regarding their whale hunting practices, has taken part in an eBay auction for the Save the Whales Again campaign and is now an ambassador for an organization fighting against teen pregnancy, the Candie's Foundation. She continues to be a refreshing young voice in being more than just another pretty face.