Happy Birthday, Hayden.

Hayden Panettiere, 21 today.

Caring, as we all do, about her future, we take this opportunity to renew our plea: Hayden! Don’t become a Lindsay or a Britney! Or even a Terrell Owens!

The question is, are we too late?

Hayden Panettiere has disclosed that she started drinking alcohol from the age of 8.

The Heroes actress told Now that she would water down wine to enjoy with a meal.

“I was raised Italian and we always had diluted glasses of red wine at dinner time from about the age of 8,” she said. “That’s just what kids do in Italy. It wasn’t ever something bad.”

Yeah, okay, family. That’s no big deal I’ve been known to let my sons have a sip of my beer. The good news:

The 20-year-old went on to say that although she now has an “occasional” drink, she never has more than a glass of wine or champagne.

Panettiere recently revealed that she is focused on “living her life” and has learned to ignore expectations that she will become the next “messed-up party girl”.

Good for you, Hayden! As long as “ignoring expectations” means “dismissing the possibility.” But:

Hayden Panettiere reportedly shouted at a club doorman in LA after he refused to let her in because she wasn’t carrying identification.

The Heroes actress, who turns 21 on August 21, was thought to be outraged when she was denied entry to nightclub Villa.

According to the National Enquirer, Panettiere said: “I come here all the time. Why is this an issue now?

“I turn 21 in a couple of weeks, so what the hell is your problem?”

Okay, so she had one little brouhaha. Big deal. Doesn’t really mean anything. Another brouhaha – or a DUI, or drug-related incident, or sex tape – that would be much, much worse.

Stick to your guns, Hayden. Be another Meryl Streep, not another Lindsay Lohan. Another Dolly Parton (without the horrendous late-in-life plastic surgery), not another Madonna.

And have a happy birthday. Just don’t expect me to drop eight bucks on Scream 4.