Panettiere 'auditions for 'Footloose' remake'

Rex Features

Heroes star Hayden Panettiere has reportedly auditioned for a role in Paramount's reboot of Footloose.

The actress, who plays Claire Bennet in the NBC show, is thought to have read for the part of Ariel Moore, a small-town girl who falls for dance-loving newcomer Ren McCormack.

"[The filmmakers] were really impressed. No-one realised what a good singer she is," an insider told E! Online's Marc Malkin.

Footloose, based on the 1984 original starring Kevin Bacon, was previously fast-tracked by the studio as a project for Zac Efron following the success of High School Musical 3. However, earlier this month it was reported that Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford was interested in taking over the part of Ren, following Efron's departure for fear of typecasting.

A representative for Panettiere, who released her debut single 'Wake Up Call' last year, has declined to comment.