Although it feels like yesterday to many millennials and Gen Zers, it has officially been 20 years since the world was first introduced. Miley Cyrus like Hannah Montana in the Disney Channel series of the same name.
To celebrate the milestone anniversary, Cyrus, 33, once again grabbed his glittering microphone to Hannah Montana’s 20th Anniversary Specialairing on Disney+ on Tuesday, March 24.
“I used to think of Hannah as something different from me,” the multihyphenate said Variety in an interview published on Wednesday, March 18. “This special is my return to bringing Hannah and Miley together.”
In celebration of the iconic pop icon’s 20th birthday – and the show that launched Cyrus’ famous career – we’ve dissected some fun facts from the latest issue of Us Weeklyon newsstands now. Keep scrolling to learn 25 things you may not know about Hannah Montana:
1. At the age of 11, Cyrus auditioned for the role of Lilly Truscott in Hannah Montana.
2. The producers encouraged Cyrus to try out for the main role of Chloe Stewart (later renamed Miley Stewart), but she turned it down because she was too young. Without answering, he kept coming back until he got the part a year later.
3. During one of his auditions, Cyrus rocked a t-shirt that read, “I should have my own TV show.”
4. The life of a professional actor: After casting Cyrus, the producers changed his character’s first name to match his own, included his Tennessean roots and even cast his real father, Billy Ray Cyruslike his father in the show.
Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus in ‘Hannah Montana’
Joel Warren / © Disney / Courtesy Everett Collection5. Other young stars who are being considered for the main role are included JoJo, Taylor Momsen again Aly Michalka.
6. Miley was born Destiny Hope Cyrus. His parents, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrushe named her “Smiley,” which was eventually shortened to “Miley.” In 2008, the star officially changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus.
7. Before Hannah MontanaMiley made her first appearance in her father’s TV series Doctor.
8. The first episode of Hannah Montana aired on March 24, 2006, it reached the highest ratings in the channel’s history with 5.4 million viewers.
9. Hannah Montana it aired 98 episodes over four seasons from 2006 to 2011.
10. Jason Earleswho played Miley’s 16-year-old brother Jackson Stewart, was almost 29 when the show began.
Jason Earles in ‘Hannah Montana’
Scott Garfield / © Disney Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection11. The title of each episode is inspired by a real life song. (For example, “Don’t Break My Tooth” comes from “Don’t Break My Heart.”)
12. The exterior of the Stewart family home is the same Reese Witherspoonletter to Big Little Lies. “There might be a plot twist here that you had a roommate — that you lived with Hannah Montana,” Miley told Witherspoon during a one-off interview.
13. Mitchell Mussowho played Oliver Oken, kept his hair long for most of the series to hide his pierced ears.
Emily Osment, Miley Cyrus and Mitchell Musso in ‘Hannah Montana’
Dean Hendler / © Disney Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection14. Musso’s brother Mason he met Miley’s brother Follow up in the set of Hannah Montanaand these formed a group called Metro Station.
15. Hannah Montana’s name was originally Alexis Texas – until Disney realized that was the name of an older movie star.
16. In 2016, Miley said she was “the lowest paid person” on the show Hannah Montana because “I didn’t know better.”
17. The entire series ends with Miley telling Lilly, “I love you so much,” and Lilly responding, “I know.” Emily Osmentwho played Lilly, revealed in 2017: “I advertised that to have the last line of the whole series.”
18. Miley asked her real godmother, Dolly Partonwill be listed in the program as “Aunt Dolly.”
Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton in ‘Hannah Montana’
Disney Channel / The Everett Collection19. Miley’s sisters, Noah again Brandi Cyrusmade several appearances as an extra on the show.
20. Many other famous faces appeared Hannah Montana over the years, including Larry David, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jesse McCartney, Lisa Rinna, Ray Liotta again Jay Leno.
21. Brooke Shields starred as Miley Stewart’s late mother during a flashback sequence.
22. Miley hit the road as she and Hannah Montana on the Best of Both Worlds Tour, which was intended to separate the real actress from her stage persona.
23. 2007 Double Album Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus it featured a song from the show’s second season and Miley’s first studio album as herself.
24. Hannah Montana: The Moviewhich was released in theaters in 2009, was shot a few miles from Cyrus’ childhood home in Tennessee.
25. Taylor Swift sang “Crazier” in the film in his first ever acting role. (He also wrote the final song “You’ll Always Find Your Way Home.”
