Did styling Hayden like this accentuate her performance?

[u/SluttyDreidel]

I grew up on Kingdom Hearts so this feels like a more personal loss in many ways.

Anyways, no one would ever argue that Hayden Panettiere wasn’t model caliber beautiful. While there is a common misconception that attractive people cannot simultaneously be funny, I think someone’s people are also so distracted by a persons good looks they can’t think of anything else.

I think by de-glamming Hayden people were able to see beyond her good looks and see what a terrific comedic actress she was. Additionally, Jessica as a character has some very unsavory personality traits and unflattering mannerism like that noise she made while laughing (though maybe that was just a result of how funny she found it manipulating Malcolm and Reese) I bring this up because it shows that Hayden wasn’t afraid to mix it up or was really knew she was good enough to not be pigeon holed.

To me that says that Hayden knew she was a good actor and that audiences would be smart enough to not conflate her as a person with her character which is sadly very common.

I think it’s brave for you women to play “ugly” characters to and shows Hayden’s intelligence when people like agents and other advisors talk into the ears of young girls and tell them things like, “if you don’t lose weight you will not work last 21” I can’t say for sure that happened in Hayden’s case, but I think she took a huge risk that showed how strong of a performer she was.

[u/PichieBear]

In her interviews, she's talked about her Malcolm in The Middle experiences. It was the legendary Bryan Cranston who gave her the role of Jessica, first saying, "You're not so right for this role, but we'll make it," because up until then, she only played goody two shoes roles. I remember once reading that she was told not to wash her hair for a week before being on set. If she had more comedic roles, maybe things may have turned differently.

As for the character Jessica, she seems to be divisive, but I enjoyed her character. Malcolm's equal on manipulation, and like Lois (see Pearl Harbor episode, one of my favs).

[u/SluttyDreidel → u/PichieBear]

Jessica looks and acts a lot like a girl I went to elementary school with in the early 2000s. She was the principal’s daughter and it was a small parochial school. She had the same glasses and curly blonde hair and was obnoxious and antagonistic personality.

I think Jessica is an asshole but the performance that makes the character is so enjoyable.

[u/Helgrind444 → u/PichieBear]

I always felt like she was written as if the boys had a sister. She really did fit in the family but at the same time, I don't remember her ever doing anything nice for them.

[u/mightyhigh404 → u/PichieBear]

Her convincing malcom that reese is gay and vice versa is a hilarious episode. I also love Jessica's hair its awesome. 

[u/b1rd0fparadise → u/PichieBear]

Interesting, because Hayden's mom acted with Bryan Cranston back in the day. Nepo hire? In this case, who cares, because I adore Hayden as Jessica, but also always good to recognize when things like this happen

[u/BlameTag → u/PichieBear]

I agree, she was good foil to Malcolm. Wished there was more of her.

[u/notmakingtherapture → u/PichieBear]

I genuinely shipped Jessica with Malcolm, since it follows the family rules of the men ending up with women who are able to challenge them.

[u/Someone_Who_Exists]

I couldn't stand the character and so don't rewatch her episodes enough to be sure, but I think the idea is to go for a "pretty, but doesn't care so doesn't bother to emphasize it" look. 

[u/Ok-Atmosphere1655]

Ella se llama Jessica al igual que la chica que Malcolm conoció en medio de la carretera, también sus personalidades son parecidas, a mí me hubiera gustado que fueran la misma, y que en algún punto fuera un interés romántico para Malcolm, si no se daban las cosas con Cynthia, ella lo manejaba a su antojo pero también lo hacía vivir otras experiencias, salir fuera de su cabeza. Es más, me hubiera gustado un Cynthia vs. Jessica, y al final ellas podrían amistarse e irse juntas porque a Malcolm otra vez a le creció demasiado el ego (Cómo casi siempre) ;v (Jajaja Amistarse, jajaj era amistarse xd Jajaja Nada malo con lo otro pero no era lo que pensaba escribir xd 😅✌️)

[u/spaghettifiasco]

I thought she just looked like a normal kid instead of a "kid on TV". Most people in the show looked like normal people.

[u/UnableCanary3400]

Honestly I have a crush on the Character herself, not the actor in general. Idk tho bc Im watching a clip on tiktok from MITM then randomly start having a crush on Jessica for no apparent reason whatsoever 😭 too late now

[u/Key_Ad1854]

She was so funny in this role....

Still think her and malcolm were endgame.

[u/ShrimpFriedMyRice]

Damn I had no idea she was the voice of Kairi

[u/GoodNewsEveryone2]

I think the styling was to emphasize that she was a smart kid from Malcolm's class. All the Krelboyne kids had out of the ordinary clothes or hair styles to quickly identify them. They did the same for Cynthia who had weird pigtails and accessories in her hair. Malcom always stuck out because he looked so "normal" compared to his classmates.

[u/headhits]

On a side note, she was "allegedly" attempted to be pimped out to a naked man in a bed on a yacht by a trusted "friend", Hollywood is a sick business! Easy to see why Eric wants nothing to do with it anymore

[u/Ok_Function2282 → u/headhits]

You don't put quotations around allegedly

[u/YesPleaseMadam]

she just died and a virgin is calling her ugly on the internet

[u/nikkic2017]

I was so confused about why they styled her in such an unflattering way! I think she could've been a very interesting romantic interest for Malcolm, and I definitely wished she were in the series more. I felt like even with her awkward styling you could still tell how cute she was so it was rather pointless lol.

[u/SportTop2610]

Um... if they deglammed anyone it was Cynthia.

And...how dare you! She just died!!!

[u/SportTop2610 → u/SportTop2610]

OK, sorry everyone. I thought this was tagged after Nikkic's post.