Miley Cyrus vs. Hannah Montana: Revisit ex child star’s biggest scandals at Disney

Miley Cyrus is getting ready to celebrate 20 years of her iconic Disney show, Hannah Montana.

The announcement came when an unspecified event was recently teased for the show’s 20th anniversary via Miley’s official fan account on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“HANNAH MONTANA: 20TH ANNIVERSARY. 2026,” wrote Miley Nation online.

While the 32-year-old songstress may look back at her time being one of Disney’s biggest assets with relative fondness now, during her heyday on the classic series, Miley was plagued by the burden of carrying one of the biggest TV networks’ legacy while also being required to live up to it.

Constantly falling short of the pressure placed on her young, inexperienced shoulders, the Grammy winning artist couldn’t wait to escape Disney’s clutches at one point.

Despite the outside noise, Miley has spoken favourably of the show as well as the people she worked with a couple of times over the years.

However, the years she spent rebelling against her child star persona gave birth to these 5 wild controversies:

Vanity Fair cover

Miley Cyrus posed nearly nude for Vanity Fair’s June 2008 cover at just 15 years of age.

Shot by Annie Leibovitz, the Hannah Montana star was photographed in nothing but a flimsy white sheet.

As the Flowers singer was just a minor at the time, she was accompanied by her parents, Tish Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus, at the photoshoot, who consented to the project on their daughter’s behalf.

Despite these facts, it was Miley herself who bore the consequences of the inappropriate shoot, and became the only party involved to be forced to issue an apology.

“I appreciate all the support of my fans and hope they understand that along the way I am going to make mistakes and I am not perfect. I never intended for any of this to happen, and I am truly sorry if I have disappointed anyone,” her statement revealed.

On the cover’s 10th anniversary however, Miley unabashedly rescinded her apology via a public declaration which she shared to her Twitter (now called X).

In 2023, she reflected on the controversy with the words, “This image of me is a complete opposite of the bubble gum pop star that I had been known for being. But, really, really brilliant choices looking back now from those people.”

Miley vs. Selena & Demi

The same year, Miley hashed a feud with her Disney co-workers and former friends, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato, who used to be inseparable then.

Joined by her own BFF at the time, Mandy Jiroux, Miley released a vlog on YouTube which directly parodied an earlier one put out by Selena and Demi.

Many theories floated around, trying to decode the teen feud which felt like the biggest pop culture scandal at the time, but was really just part of one secluded section of the internet in hindsight, frequented by the fans as young as their Disney idols.

Miley and Selena’s romantic connections with Nick Jonas and Demi’s tryst with Joe Jonas, who had also been in a relationship with Taylor Swift by then — the same Taylor who was closer to Miley at the time, with the duo collaborating on Hannah Montana: The Movie — it’s safe to say that this Disney crossover was probably the one fans at the time wanted aired on the channel.

Pole dancing at the Teen Choice Awards

A year after the photoshoot scandal and her Disney feud, Miley was back to ruffle some more feathers on her way to gaining prominence for herself as a brand separate from Disney’s.

In 2009, the Party in the USA singer pole danced at the famously tame Teen Choice Awards ceremony during her performance of the hit American anthem.

Granted, the moment caused a huge stir and another controversy followed, with most of the blame being pinned on Miley, who was accused of alienating her young fanbase as a Disney “role model”.

Looking back on the scandal in a conversation with her sister, Brandi Cyrus, the former child star revealed the mastermind behind the scandalous idea.

“This is going to be no surprise to you. Do you know whose idea that was?” she asked her sister on Spotify’s Billions Club series.

As Brandi correctly guessed that it could only be their mother, Miley further added, “Yup, that was my mom’s idea. So she always lets me take the blame. When I got in trouble the next day, you know who was nowhere to be found? Tish Cyrus.”

While Miley still remembered the moment fondly because it was the first time she “ever wore real diamond jewelry on stage”, it would appear that it was strike two as far as her parents are concerned.

Lap dance saga

In another episode of adults failing a young Miley Cyrus, the then 16 year old star’s notorious “lap dance” with her much older The Last Song director went viral in 2010.

The footage which showed Miley moving suggestively near the film’s producer and director Adam Shankman was obtained and subsequently spread by TMZ.

Apparently, the recording was made at their film’s wrap party and according to The Mirror, “The worst part is that there were reportedly little kids at the party and the dancing between Miley and Adam was allegedly so dirty that some of the parents actually left the party with their kids.”

A general attempt to defend the inappropriate antics between the then 45-year-old Adam and Miley was made with the suggestion that it was fine since the filmmaker is actually gay.

While Billy Ray Cyrus defended the controversy by telling TMZ, “It’s what people her age do. She was just having fun.”

On her part, Miley has never addressed the scandal and as an unfortunate running theme throughout, it would appear that she was once again let down by those who were supposed to protect her.

‘Can’t Be Tamed’

You can trace the exact moment Miley’s cover came off as she openly shunned her Disney image by revisiting the release of her album and its titular track, Can’t Be Tamed.

Posing in a cage for the cover art of the single while similar constricting motifs also featured in its music video, Miley sent a clear message to all of the naysayers through the use of powerful imagery.

While the following she had gained from her time on Disney largely derided the attempt, Miley went on to receive favourable reviews for her artistic endeavour, also earning comparisons with older and established pop stars like Lady Gaga and Britney Spears.

Reflecting on the significance of the song during a 2020 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she explained, “I was already telling y’all that something was about to happen, that I wasn’t Hannah Montana.”

She also cited lyrics from the song which clearly outlined her motives at the time.

“I wanna be a part of something that I don’t know / and if you try to hold me back, I’m bound to explode / By now, you should know / that I can’t be tamed,” she noted.

With that explosive statement, there was no looking back for Miley Cyrus — as she has continued to maintain relevance in the industry through her post Disney and Hannah Montana work.