6 Skeletons in the Cupboard of Hannah Montana
When Disney’s hit sitcom first aired in 2006, it instantly became a household name among teens. Miley Cyrus , Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment, Jason Earles, Mitchel Musso, and the entire star cast influenced American teens. The young generation tried to copy everything, from hairstyles to clothes to music. While the show still brings back happy memories, there are some secrets the cast has successfully tucked away from their diehard fans. And we bet you didn’t know any of these either.
1. Jason Earles Was Almost 30 Years Old in Hannah Montana
Jackson Rod Stewart on Hannah Montana was not a teenager but a grown man in his thirties. Although he and Miley Cyrus played siblings who were close in age, in reality, they were far from it. In fact, Earles and Cyrus are 15 years apart in age. He played the older brother of Hannah Montana, who solved her relationship problems. Earles recalled, “I would do any of that stuff because that place is like family to me,” as reported by Teen Vogue.
2. Billy Ray Cyrus Accuses Hannah Montana of Ruining His Family
Billy Ray Cyrus once revealed in a GQ interview, “The damn show destroyed my family.” He insisted that he lost control of his parenting after playing the rebellious, boundary-breaking pop star in Hannah Montana. “Season four, it was a disaster,” he continued. “I was going to work every single day knowing that my family had fallen apart, but yet I had to sit in front of that camera.” He blamed the industry for the distance between him and his daughter, Miley.
3. Billy Ray Cyrus Met His Now-Fiancee on the Sets of Hannah Montana in the 2000s
The Achy Broken Heart singer found love once again in singer Firerose after his split from Tish Cyrus in 2022. Although their relationship is still new, apparently, the two met on the sets of the Disney show over a decade ago. The singer told PEOPLE , “Firerose came out of the front door. There was almost a moment of, I don’t know, recognition. I was like, ‘This girl’s a star.'” He continued, “And, in a lot of ways, we became friends.”
4. Miley Cyrus Was the Least-Paid Actor on the Show
Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana are synonymous with each other. However, despite being the face of the hit teen sitcom, she claimed she was the lowest-paid actor on the show despite playing the lead role. During an interview with Elle , she said, “I mean, at one point—they’ll probably kill me for saying it—I was probably the least paid person on my cast because I didn’t know any better. I was just like, ‘I can be on Disney! Yeah, I want to do it.”
5. Miley Cyrus Struggled With Her Sense of Self During Hannah Montana
Although teenagers looked up to Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana , the Wrecking Ball singer struggled with herself. The child star opened up about her personal battles with Marie Claire. “From the time I was 11, it was, ‘You’re a pop star! That means you have to be blonde, and you have to have long hair, and you have to put on some glittery tight thing.'” She shared the constant pressures, “I was made to look like someone that I wasn’t.”
6. Miley Cyrus and Emily Osment Hated Each Other on Set
The BFFs in the show actually couldn’t get along with Hannah Montana . In Cyrus’ 2008 autobiography Miles to Go , the singer admitted, “Emily and I tried to be friends; we really did, but it always ended in a fight.” She continued, “Our characters got along so well; why couldn’t we act the same in real life?” After many hiccups in their relationships, the two have been cordial. In fact, in 2020, Osment and Cyrus reminisced about old memories during Instagram Live.