Kendall Jenner likens Her Childhood Fame to Hannah Montana—Without the Disguise

Kendall Jenner has drawn a fascinating parallel between her upbringing under the spotlight and the double life of Miley Cyrus’s character in Hannah Montana. In a recent appearance on the Anything Goes podcast, the 28-year-old model and reality TV star shared insights into how her early life was somewhat akin to that of the beloved Disney Channel character.

“It’s a little Hannah Montana-y in a way,” Kendall told host Emma Chamberlain. “But I didn’t have a disguise, or I didn’t have a physical shift.” While Hannah Montana depicted a teenager leading a double life as a famous pop star, Jenner's experience involved navigating fame without such a dramatic alter ego.

Kendall, who was just 10 years old when Keeping Up with the Kardashians premiered, recalled how she and her family tried to maintain a semblance of normalcy despite their new-found fame. “We went to school. We went to school as long as we could,” she said. “I started home school, 11th and 12th grade … so even though we had a TV show at home, we were going to regular school all day and had our friends that we had from before the show started.”

Jenner acknowledged that while growing up in the public eye was not always easy, she felt fortunate to have had as normal a life as possible under the circumstances.

“It wasn’t always easy, but it did feel kind of normal,” she noted. “Overall, I am really grateful because I think it could have been a lot worse.”

Despite the challenges of dealing with public scrutiny and the demands of an adult world at a young age, Jenner expressed gratitude for the stability and love provided by her family. “Kylie and I, the one thing we had was a lot of stability, a lot of love and a really great support system and really great friends,” she said.

Kendall, who has been linked to Bad Bunny and Devin Booker, also reflected on the benefits of having older siblings who blazed a trail before her. “We had older siblings that we got to see do things before us and lead us in a way,” she added.

In a 2023 interview with WSJ. Magazine, Kendall mentioned coming to terms with her public life, revealing that it took nearly 20 years to feel comfortable with it. “I was born into this life, but I didn’t choose this life,” she said. “I’m not built for this by any means. I’m not good at it. I do it, and I’ve learned how to do it.”

Kendall’s candid reflections offer a glimpse into the complexities of growing up in the spotlight and the adjustments she has had to make throughout her career.