Claire Bennet Before the US drama Heroes turned into a confusing, meandering mess (cancelled in 2010), it was for one series brilliant TV. In this tale of handsome global citizens who discover they’ve got special abilities, 16-year-old Claire (Hayden Panettiere, above) was the best character. Early on we saw her mangle a hand in a rubbish shredder and watch, with perfect teenage impassivity, as her body magically healed itself. She went on to use her power exactly as any 21st-century kid would: she videoed herself jumping off an 80ft-high building. Later, she employed her talents more benevolently, saving a civilian from a fire

Photograph: PR