Miley Cyrus went all out celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana with a Disney+ special — and a red carpet premiere — but there were several stars from the show that were notably absent from the big events.
Disney Channel’s hit series, which aired from 2006 to 2011, followed a teenage girl named Miley Stewart (Cyrus) who lived a double life as famous pop singer Hannah Montana. The alter ego allowed Miley to maintain her anonymity and live a normal life, but it also came with its own set of challenges.
Two decades after the show premiered, Cyrus sat down to film a special in a rebuilt soundstage meant to mirror the Hannah Montana set. She was joined by special guest stars including “Call Her Daddy” podcast host Alex Cooper, Selena Gomez and Chappell Roan, but most of her costars were missing.
The surprising absences continued at the Los Angeles premiere, which much of Cyrus’ family attended, but her former costars Emily Osment, Mitchel Musso and more not there.
Osment, for her part, addressed her absence shortly before the red carpet event, telling fans via Instagram that “Hannah Montana changed my life.” During the screening for the special, which Us Weekly attended, Cyrus reflected on the show’s legacy so many years later.
“I have absolutely nothing prepared for this moment — and I did not do that by mistake. Because everything that we are going to celebrate tonight was not a mistake,” she said in a speech. “It wasn’t magic — which Disney is known for creating. It was the effort, the loyalty and the support of the fans who made my life possible beyond the show. For that, I am so grateful to each and every one of you. It doesn’t stop there, I’m looking out right now in the audience and seeing so many faces that made this possible.”
Cyrus continued: “Everything in my life is so amazing because Disney took a chance on me. I had no business coming out to Los Angeles thinking that I could carry a show or pretend to be a pop star. I had no experience. I had done some theater before. … There were some years where I think they thought they made the right call. I think it all worked out just fine because whatever got us here in this room to honor and celebrate — not just the show itself — which has been the beginning of all of this. The cast is here tonight and it’s so amazing. Without you all, this show would never [have] been what it is. I might be the only one in this room that never got to go to a Hannah Montana concert [because] I was the Hannah Montana concert. But now I understand why it was so much fun to go to one of Hannah shows to dress like her, wear the wig and wear the scarf. That’s what it felt like for me to celebrate Hannah Montana — now from the other side.”
Keep scrolling for other stars that were noticeably missing from the Hannah Montana anniversary special and premiere:
Emily Osment
The actress, who played Miley’s best friend Lilly, confirmed hours before the premiere that she wouldn’t be able to attend. (Osment also didn’t film any scenes for the 20th anniversary special itself.)
“We’re at Georgie & Mandy … and that’s why I was not able to be part of the 20-year reunion, because we are here shooting our show,” she explained in an Instagram video from the CBS show’s set. “But I wanted to say hello and thank you to everybody that has stuck by us for all these years. I’m so grateful that you guys all still love the show. I’m so proud to be a part of it.”
Mitchel Musso
Mitchel Musso, who played another BFF Oliver , wrote a tribute to the show after not appearing at the premiere or in the special.
“Hannah Montana wrapped around my heart and never really let go. We literally grew up with ya’ll — long days, crazy schedules, learning lines, cracking up between takes, and figuring out life while the cameras rolled. It taught me so many wonderful values, but the most important ‘to me’ is that laughter can get you through the tough days. That confidence still sticks with me every single day,” he wrote via Instagram before referring to Osment’s post. “Like my Lillypop said on her post, so many of you building families of your own and sharing this wonderful story with your kids is a gift beyond words. It’s been the coolest part of HM.”
He concluded: “Miley, Emily, Jason, Billy Ray, Moises, and the whole crew at Disney — you became my family through all the real, messy, beautiful moments. Thank you for believing in a goofy kid from Texas who wore some questionable outfits with a haircut like that. To all of you, thank you for welcoming me into your homes and hearts 20 years ago and still allowing me to be here today. I’m honored we get to share all of this together.”
Jason Earles
After playing Miley’s brother, Jackson, Earles attended the premiere in Los Angeles alongside other original cast members, including Miley Cyrus, Moisés Arias, Shanica Knowles, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle and Cody Linley. He was, however, missing from the special that aired on Disney+.
Moisés Arias
Fans spotted Moisés Arias, who played Rico, at the premiere, but he wasn’t in the special.
Billy Ray Cyrus
Miley Cyrus’ dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, was by her side in the original show and was featured in the special. He was absent from the premiere, where Miley was joined by mom Tish Cyrus, her husband, Dominic Purcell, and his family.
Selena Gomez
The fellow Disney Channel child star — who played Miley’s rival Mikayla — made a surprise cameo in the Hannah Montana special. She didn’t attend the premiere.
Cody Linley
Despite Cody Linley’s Jake wronging Miley on the show, fans were thrilled to see him at the red carpet event for the anniversary special. He didn’t appear to film anything for the special itself.
Drew Roy
After Cody Linley was spotted at the premiere, many fans questioned why Drew Roy, who played another one of Miley’s boyfriends on the show, was nowhere to be found. Roy has shifted away from acting in recent years, instead focusing on his job as a qualified jet pilot.
Lucas Till
While Lucas Till wasn’t featured on the original Hannah Montana show, he starred as Miley’s love interest Travis in Hannah Montana: The Movie. He did not appear at the anniversary events.
