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Miley Cyrus is marking a milestone: two decades since the debut of Hannah Montana, the Disney Channel show that catapulted her to fame. Yet, the much-anticipated Disney+ special, released today, was missing a few key figures from the series.
Running from 2006 to 2010, Hannah Montana captivated audiences with its tale of Miley Stewart (played by Cyrus), a teenager juggling school by day and a secret life as a pop sensation by night. Aiding her in maintaining this dual existence were her father, Robby Ray Stewart (Billy Ray Cyrus), her brother Jackson (Jason Earles), and her close friends Lilly Truscott (Emily Osment) and Oliver Oken (Mitchel Musso). Together, they navigated various escapades that often threatened to reveal Miley’s hidden identity.
In honor of the show’s 20th anniversary, Miley revisits the iconic Hannah Montana wardrobe, her sparkling costumes, and the familiar Malibu beach house that was central to the series. While the special evokes a wave of nostalgia, it notably lacks appearances from Osment, Musso, and Earles. Read on to discover who made it into the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special and who didn’t.
Why were Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso left out of the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special?
Despite their significant roles in the series, Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso are absent from the anniversary special. According to Osment’s representative, work obligations prevented her participation, although she extends heartfelt appreciation to fans for their continued support. Currently, Osment is filming Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, a spinoff from Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory.
Attempts to reach Musso’s representatives for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication. Nevertheless, Musso shared his thanks and affection for Hannah Montana and its fans via Instagram, similar to Osment’s gesture.
While Osment and Musso might not physically be in the special, Miley does reminisce on meeting them for the first time, and how she used to think Musso was “cute.” The singer also revealed that one of their first hangouts as a trio was at Panda Express, where she poured Diet Coke on her white rice. Miley, never change.
Is Jason Earles in the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special?
Somehow, Disney got away with not including Jason Earles, who played Miley’s obnoxious (albeit hilarious) older brother Jackson, in the special. DECIDER has reached out to Earles’ reps for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
While Earles did not get to reunite with his onscreen sister and dad for the Disney+ special, he did make some time to join Miley and some of the other OG Hannah Montana cast members for the premiere on Monday night (March 23). Earles has also been busy reflecting on his Hannah Montana days in his new Best of Both Our Worlds podcast.
Who was in the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special?
By now, you may be wondering: who actually was in the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special? While the special failed to reunite Miley with her trio (Lilly and Oliver), they made sure to bring in two other important forces in the singer’s life, both on and off-screen: her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, who played her father in the franchise, and her mom, Tish Cyrus, who was heavily involved in everything that went on behind the scenes, particularly the fashion.
Selena Gomez also made a quick cameo to talk about her short, but iconic stint on Hannah Montana. Plus, Chappell Roan stopped by to discuss the blueprint Miley laid out for stars like her to flourish. And, if you hung around until after the credits, you would see Miley’s younger sister, Noah Cyrus, pop in to present her with a Hannah Montana cake.
How to watch the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special:
The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special is currently streaming on Disney+.
Disney+ offers a number of subscription options, so you can find the one that works for you. With ads, a subscription costs $10.99/month; without ads, it’s $18.99/month or $189.99/year.
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