Miley Cyrus on How Her Lie Made the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Happen

2 min read

THE RUNDOWN

• In her new Variety cover story, Miley Cyrus revealed that she originally lied about there being a Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special to convince Disney to really make it.
• She said she got the advice from Dolly Parton and managed to convince Disney to hop on the project.
• The star also teased what to expect from the special, including a Selena Gomez cameo.

When Miley Cyrus first started teasing a Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special, the project wasn’t real—yet. The former Disney Channel star, who headlines the Disney+ special that premieres on March 24, told Variety that she took a piece of her godmother Dolly Parton’s advice to manifest the show.

“I learned this terrible habit—but I actually think it was good advice—from Dolly,” Cyrus began. “She told me that if you want something to happen, promote it before it exists. Then no one can say no. So I just started promoting a Hannah Montana 20th-anniversary special that literally did not exist.”

“I think even Disney sometimes forgets the connection between me and Hannah,” she continued. “It’s not just a TV show. I see daily how important Hannah is to people. When I travel, people bring me ‘Hannah’ merch. They ask, ‘Are you ever going to do another season?’” Cyrus sent Disney fan reactions as she started spreading the news, saying, “I’m telling you, this would be huge.”

Disney executive Charlie Andrews revealed Cyrus convinced it—and the company got on board in December: “She willed it into existence,” Andrews said. As they started working on the special in January, “the thing she was adamant about is that this is for the fans. That has gone into literally every decision she has made.”

Cyrus teased a few things fans can expect, including a new original song. She revealed she wasn’t wearing a wig but dyed her own hair blonde and cut bangs. But one of the biggest pieces of news she shared was who would be making a cameo: Hannah Montana guest star and Cyrus’s friend and fellow Disney alum Selena Gomez.

Alexandra Cooper, who Cyrus tapped to interview her in the special, arranged for Gomez to come and surprise Cyrus on set. “I love Selena, but I didn’t know how much our friendship meant to the fans,” Cyrus admitted.

She spoke more broadly about her hopes as people watch the special and why she felt ready to revisit Hannah: “A lot of artists feel like to become the next version of themselves, they have to leave something behind,” she said. “But I’d rather be more like a gorgeous patchwork blanket. I’d rather take every little piece of all the things that I’ve been and create a mosaic of exactly who I am now—not trashing any of that past but allowing it to come with me.” She added that she wants those seeing the program to feel inspired to “not take everything so seriously.”

The show airs March 24 on Disney+.

Watch the Hannah Montana: 20th Anniversary Special here