Hayden Panettiere thinks red hair makes her less 'cute.' We think.

"Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere was at a screening for the upcoming HBO original movie "Temple Grandin" on Tuesday (Jan. 26) night and was more than happy to talk about why she decided to go red ... follically speaking that is.

"I'm typically a very fiery person anyway," Hayden tells Us, "but I just feel like cute and blonde and little is just so one category and one thing and changing my hair color, I feel like I don't have to overcompensate so much for the fact that I don't like being called cute or anything like that -- especially being all 5-foot-2 of me."

Now, if we're reading that statement correctly (and we'll admit to having problems with completely deciphering it), Hayden thinks that she is stereotyped as "cute, blonde and little" and seeing as she can't do anything about the height issue -- other than wearing heels -- dying her hair red negates the blonde part and makes her less apt to be called "cute."

Is that how you're reading it?

Hayden also says that it's hard when "you get stuck in one thing and known for one thing and as a cheerleader or whatever that image."

Why would the "Heroes"/"Bring It On: All or Nothing"/"I Love You Beth Cooper" actress ever be stuck being known as a cheerleader?

Personally, The Dish Rag likes the idea of the red hair being a bid to put herself in the running for Mary Jane Watson in the upcoming "Spider-Man" reboot. Oh, but wait, they're taking that back to high school. Wonder if they'll make Mary Jane a cheerleader?
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