Grace Diviny, Staff Writer
On March 24th, those of us who grew up in the classic Disney Channel days are able to relive the glory days with the help of Hannah Montana’s 20th anniversary special.
The iconic Disney show, which aired from 2006 to 2012, was a huge hit among kids and young pre-teens alike and catapulted Miley Cyrus into the actor and musician that we know today, and the anniversary documentary allowed us to get to know a matured, refined Miley.
The documentary starts out with a montage of the show and the craze that came along with it, before cutting to Miley stepping out of her car and going on stage where she performed “Best of Both Worlds” as the iconic character, saying “Happy Anniversary!” before ending the concert. Miley then reminisces on her time on the old set with podcaster Alex Cooper from ‘Call Her Daddy,’ where they discuss the cultural impact of the show and how it affected Miley as a whole. When asked why she came back as Hannah Montana, Cyrus said that she wanted to celebrate with her fanbase who were not only there for the entirety of the show, but also there during her infamous transition to her Bangerz era in 2013.
Cyrus then went into her audition process and building connections with her cast in the early days of Hannah Montana, whilst also exploring fans’ favorite and iconic moments of the show, such as the Jesse vs. Jake love triangle and looking through Hannah’s closet.
She then spilled exclusive details about her relationships with other Disney stars, such as her partying with Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens from High School Musical and confirming she was in a relationship with Zack Sprouse from the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. But the biggest moment was Selena Gomez’s surprise entrance on the set. Many fans would tell you that the two Disney stars once were rumored to have beef stemming from their respective relationships with Nick Jonas in 2008, so this was a big moment for Disney fans alike. Miley then did performances to the songs “This Is The Life” and “The Climb.”
Another surprise appearance happened in the form of singer Chappell Roan, in which she expressed the impact Miley had on her own artistry and career. Cyrus also lamented on her family life, even reuniting with her father Billy Ray Cyrus, despite her rocky history in recent years.
The documentary then slowly concluded with Cooper asking Cyrus on what she would say to her younger self, in which she would tell her that she was proud of her for staying true to her heart and giving laughs to others. She also was asked what she would say to the fans, and she responded by telling them the deepest thank you to them for giving her a unique and beautiful piece of life, before ending the anniversary with an emotional rendition of a new song called “Younger You,” where Cyrus sang to her younger self.
The anniversary special made many fans emotional and feel more connected to Cyrus, especially knowing there was a point where she refused to be associated with anything involving Hannah when she was shedding her Disney image. Seeing Cyrus embrace her past resonated with all her fans, and shows how much of an impact Hannah Montana has made on a generation of many kids alike
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