Malcolm in the Middle is a popular 2000s sitcom on Fox that often featured guest stars who would go on to become famous in their own right, and Hayden Panettiere was one of those actors. The Malcolm in the Middle cast of characters consists of a completely out-of-control family comprised of the mother Lois (Jane Kaczmarek), father Hal (Bryan Cranston), oldest son Francis (Christopher Masterson), second son Reese (Justin Berfield), third son and protagonist Malcolm (Frankie Muniz), and youngest son Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan). The lower-middle-class family is constantly struggling to get along with each other and the rest of society.
It’s a darkly humorous show and turns the family sitcom tropes on its head with ridiculous situations and characters who feel like real people. Malcolm in the Middle was nominated for 33 Emmys and won seven over the course of its airing. Nine of those nominations went to guest actors. Robert Loggia, Bea Arthur, Susan Sarandon, and Cloris Leachman (who won twice) were all nominated and are just a few of the talented guest actors in Malcolm in the Middle. Like all great guest actors, when Panettiere fit the tone of the series while also bringing something new to her episodes.
Hayden Panettiere Played Jessica On Malcolm In The Middle
Hayden Panettiere first appears in Malcom in the Middle season 4, episode 13 “Stereo Store” as Jessica, a girl in Malcolm’s class whom his parents hire to babysit the three youngest boys, much to their chagrin. Jessica appears in three more episodes: season 6, episode 4 “Pearl Harbor”; season 7, episode 5 “Jessica Stays Over”; and finally season 7, episode 6 “Secret Boyfriends”. Panettiere's character proves herself to be manipulative, intelligent, and more than qualified to deal with the boys' shenanigans. She is even able to trick Lois, though the pair often end their episodes coming to a mutual respect.
Whenever Panettiere appears on Malcolm in the Middle, Jessica manages to pit one brother against another, Lois against her sons, or Malcolm against someone else. The boys are usually the ones causing the most trouble but whenever Jessica comes onto the scene, they end up being the victim of her pranks. Despite being a Machiavellian schemer, her plots often have positive consequences. Her lies about Reese and Malcolm actually end up making the brothers treat each other better. When she sees that Malcolm is dating someone who doesn’t respect him, she tricks him in a way that forces him to realize that his girlfriend Vicki has been treating him poorly.
Hayden Panettiere Went On To Have A Successful Career After Malcolm In The Middle
Panettiere's early roles, including Malcolm in the Middle, saw her playing outspoken and spunky adolescents in movies like Remember the Titans, Racing Stripes, and A Bugs Life, and she grew into a natural lead in her later roles. She starred in Heroes and Nashville, but stepped away from acting in 2018 to focus on her sobriety and coping with her post-partum depression, as she revealed to People. And after overcoming these personal struggles, Panettiere's brother unexpectedly passed away.
The actress's path has not been easy, but she decided to return to acting to reprise her role as Kirby Reed in Scream VI. Panettiere spoke of her return to the Scream franchise, saying "I took time off and I didn't know what I was gonna come back doing and what the first project was going to be and then this came along and I was like, 'Absolutely.' And the fans have been so, so loyal, so spectacular… I love being back." Since her Malcolm in the Middle Days, Panettiere has come a long way, both personally and professionally, and it'll be exciting to see what she does next.
