It’s always amusing how publicists attempt to place a positive spin upon the story of a flagging starlet career. Miss Hayden Panettiere, who appeared as the resident cheerleader of the now-cancelled “Heroes” but has failed to replicate that success within movie magic (she even got naked for I Love You, Beth Cooper, but the film still only grossed $14 million and failed to recoup its budget), has now signed onto a Lifetime movie. Hayden has been cast in the titular role of The Amanda Knox Story, which will tell at least one version of the events leading up to a guilty verdict by an Italian trial jury against the U.S. exchange student accused of killing her roommate, Merideth Kercher. As everyone’s already aware, Knox remains in custody on a 26-year sentence while she awaits the appeals process. Many, including myself, believe that the trial evidence did not support the verdict, and Lifetime has seen fit to capitalize upon the case’s lingering controversy. Oh, and Hayden’s publicist also spied the opportunity to sway the facts in favor of her client:

With its foreign locale and attractive defendants and victim, bizarre crime involving sex and drugs, and an All-American girl at its center, Knox’s case was long expected to get the Hollywood treatment. A bevy of young actresses, from Lindsay Lohan and Megan Fox to Emily Blunt and Kristen Stewart, were touted to play Knox. From Pilgrim Films and TV, The Amanda Knox Story will be directed by Robert Dornhelm from a script by Wendy Battles. Piligian, Battles, Trevor Walton, and Craig Anderson will exec produce with Randy Sutter producing.

Personally, I find it hilarious to imagine Kristen Stewart vying for a Lifetime role. Fox and Blunt also aren’t that desperate either (yet), and Lohan is too much of a joke to be considered for the role. So basically, this “bevy” of candidates probably consisted of Hayden Panettiere and a few unknowns. In addition, the timing of this announcement is all too convenient after the resounding flop that was Alpha and Omega, which landed at 5th place for its opening weekend. So while Hayden can attempt to disguise her Lifetime role in the best possible light, all that’s truly occurring is a nice fat paycheck to her publicist.