The Monster star was among the speakers at Glamour magazine's panel discussion, titled The Power of an Educated Girl, held at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem.

She appeared alongside Obama and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard to discuss the importance of education for young women, and urged fellow females not to be scared to be smart.

"There is nothing sexier than a smart woman," she told the audience. "We have been told to live by a certain mold, especially women, and it's time to break it and it's up to us to do that. Stop waiting for men to do that, look in the mirror and see yourself and say I am sexy, I am attractive, I am smart, I am intelligent, I am powerful, I have a voice, I look cute in these jeans. Yes, I don't have long hair, I have short hair but I am still a girl and I'm still hot."

Obama concurred and encouraged girls not to be distracted by boys: "Let's just be clear, you don't want to be with a boy that's too stupid to know you're a smart, young lady and I want to encourage all of us as young women, as older women, we have to raise our own bars, you will not be successful hanging around people who drag you down...

"There is no boy at this age that is cute enough or interesting enough to stop you from getting your education. If I worried about who liked me and who thought I was cute when I was your age, I wouldn't be married to the President of the United States."