With a new dark-side TV persona and a movie to match, Kristen Bell is finally growing up. It's about time, we say.

By Tim Leong; Photographs by Matt Doyle; Styling by Jewels

is a bit of a rarity in Hollywood—a tantalizing actress who’s actually smart. And funny. And down-to-earth, which means no flashing her bits to the paparazzi  (trust us, we Googled it). The 27-year-old burst onto the scene in 2004, starring in Veronica Mars as the eponymous heroine, and won the hearts of fanboys (and us) faster than you could say “Nancy Drew who?” Yet she still managed to fly under most people’s radar.

After a flurry of work, though, the diminutive Bell is looming large in the spotlight: This past fall, she joined the hit show Heroes as supercharged vixen Elle, taking over as the reigning hot hero (sorry, Hayden). And in January she puts her hyperdrive quick wit to use in Fanboys, a flick about a group of friends plotting to steal an early print of Star Wars: Episode I. She also stars opposite Jason Segel in the upcoming Judd Apatow–produced Forgetting Sarah Marshall—a comedy about a TV starlet who breaks up with her average-Joe boyfriend. While Hollywood worshipped divas who were as fake as their racks, Bell was keeping things real. Trifeys, listen and learn: Hollywood’s about to be saved by the Bell.

So we’ve all heard that nerdy is the new cool.

Kristen Bell: It is. Geek chic.

And that’s something that’s definitely been associated with you.

Kristen Bell: I’m flattered. [Laughs.]

How do people know you’re not a poser?

Kristen Bell: They don’t. Here’s what I like about it: For the longest time trying to be cool was cool, and then trying to be cool became annoying. And what was previously perceived as nerdy is now viewed as original. What I like about nerdiness, geekiness, is it doesn’t really matter what you’re into—it just means you’re not a follower. People who like what they like and don’t apologize for it just because it’s not mainstream.

Such as?

Kristen Bell: I ordered walkie-talkie watches from the Sharper Image catalog because sometimes I want to talk to someone who’s in a different room in my house. And I make my roommate wear one, and sometimes I’ll just be like, “Hey, bring the orange juice upstairs!” or whatever. That may not be what you’d think a typical 27-year-old woman would be into. [Laughs.] I have fierce running charade parties - full-contact running charades. You can move furniture, you can use the dogs as booby traps. There is clotheslining. Pretty much anything goes. I have no furniture in my front living room because I like to have dance parties or headstand contests.

Are you concerned about your “new celebrity” status?

Kristen Bell: Not really, ’cause no one ever recognizes me anyway...

...yet. I mean, is that something you talk about or worry about? Especially with paparazzi coming on so hard now?

Kristen Bell: I hang out with Hayden [Panettiere] quite a bit—they never take pictures of me. I just step to the side, and I push myself in front of her when she wants to get out of it, or put her in the car.

Does the fact you’re both smart and funny make it weird to be lumped in this category of poster girl?

Kristen Bell: The fact that I’m smart and funny?

Yes. Because I don’t believe you can say the same thing about some people that are on pinup covers.

Kristen Bell: Oh, that’s such a nice compliment, thank you.

Well, not to the other pinup people.

Kristen Bell: [Laughs.] True. I  was always a hard-headed child and was kind of a tomboy, and I think that’s sort of what formed my personality. I very recently stepped into my body as a woman. Before, it was, “Hey, you can wear a bathing suit in a photo shoot and that would be cute and everyone will like it.” And I was like, “Me? I should be in overalls or something cool like that.” Um, thank God for airbrushing. [Eats cookie.]

How do you see yourself?

Kristen Bell: I’ve never really considered myself very womanly, partly because I always play and look and act 10 years younger than I am. Something magical happened when I turned 25—I looked in the mirror and was like, You might not get carded for an R-rated movie anymore. Like I didn’t have a little stick figure anymore. It’s weird to come into your own and realize that people look at me and think “woman,” because that’s never been my gimmick. Home // GIRLS // COVER GIRLS // KRISTEN BELL