Miley Cyrus teases Hannah Montana return ahead of 20th anniversary

Miley Cyrus has confirmed she is involved in plans marking the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana, as the Disney Channel series approaches the milestone in March.

The singer appeared to reference the character during her appearance at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 3.

Speaking to Variety on the red carpet, Cyrus confirmed her participation in anniversary preparations, saying, “Absolutely. We’re working hard on them.”

While she did not provide further details, she drew attention to her hairstyle, adding, “You see the bangs.” Fans online have interpreted the blonde look as a nod to the fictional pop star she portrayed for five years.

Hannah Montana aired from March 2006 to January 2011 and starred Cyrus alongside Emily Osment, Mitchel Musso and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus. The series followed a teenager living a double life as a global pop star and became one of Disney Channel’s most successful programmes.

Cyrus also starred in the 2009 film Hannah Montana: The Movie and released several soundtracks under the character’s name, which achieved multi-platinum sales. The associated Best of Both Worlds Tour grossed more than $54 million.

Cyrus previously discussed anniversary plans during a SiriusXM interview in July. She said, “I want to design something really, really special for it because it really was the beginning of all of this,” adding, “Without Hannah, there wouldn’t really be this me.” She also reflected on how the character has since become associated with nostalgia for fans.

Despite speculation, Cyrus has not announced any plans to tour as Hannah Montana. In a 2023 interview with British Vogue, she said she enjoys performing for friends but noted that “singing for hundreds of thousands of people isn’t really the thing that I love.”

Details of the anniversary celebration have not yet been announced.