On March 24, Disney celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Hannah Montana. This day signified that two decades have gone by since the pilot episode of a show that defined Disney Channel in the 2000’s. With this being a big day for the show and fandom, cast members and brands quickly took the opportunity to celebrate.
Hannah Montana was originally released on March 24, 2006, following Miley Stuart, a teenage girl that doubled as a pop star. This iconic show is a fan favorite from Disney’s 2000’s era, which makes this anniversary so special for many fans. Senior Hayden Wall, one of these huge fans, said “I remember my sister always watching Hannah Montana, so I would watch it with her, and it was just, it was one of my favorite TV shows.”
Miley Cyrus was featured in a new, hour-long Disney special in the blonde wig to honor 20 years of the show that brought her to fame. This special featured a combination of interviews and performances, all starring Cyrus herself. These interviews were mainly conducted by Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper, who questioned Cyrus about her time and memories from this show. The special also featured notable names that were big supporters of the show, including Chappell Roan and Tish Cyrus, the star’s mother.
However, the real treat for the fans was the details incorporated directly from the show. The special takes place in the house that Hannah Montana took place in, with everything set up exactly the same as the first episode. This displayed set also featured the famous secret closet, which is explored in the special. There are also some notable appearances featured, particularly Selena Gomez, who played rival popstar Mikayla, and Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus’s stage and real dad. “I liked that she was able to speak to her father again because they had a lot of conflicts growing up,” said senior and fan Sammie Varela. These reunions were so essential to the special, allowing for conversations between the cast mates and memories to be shared.
Cyrus also took to the stage to perform “The Climb” and even added smaller touches to the special that transported the fans back to the 2000s. Most notably of these touches include Cyrus returning with the blonde hair and ending the special in a way that mirrored the last episode of the show.
Unfortunately, not every cast member was able to return. Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso, playing Miley’s two best friends Lily and Oliver, were two that were not featured, however they took to social media to share their regrets for being unable to make it and their love for Hannah Montana.
The social media coverage did not end with these stars. Plenty of businesses took to Instagram and TikTok to participate in the festivities, including Megan Moroney releasing a cover of “The Best of Both Worlds” and Starbucks releasing the Secret Pop-Star Refresher drink.
20 years later, Hannah Montana is still a sensation that can be looked back on fondly. This special only helped remind people of how much they loved this show. “It just brought back a lot of memories,” said Wall.
