Miley Cyrus Reflects on 'Hannah Montana' Giving Her Confidence

The singer accepted the Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards with a heartfelt speech about her iconic Disney character.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 4:36am

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Miley Cyrus, 33, accepted the Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 26, 2026, and used her acceptance speech to reflect on the impact of her 'Hannah Montana' character. Cyrus credited the role with giving her the confidence and courage to perform authentically, saying 'the fake you can actually reveal the real you.' She also discussed the 20th anniversary of the show's premiere, which was celebrated with a Disney+ special a few days earlier.

Why it matters

Miley Cyrus' speech highlighted the lasting influence of her breakout role as 'Hannah Montana,' which launched her to stardom as a teenager and continues to resonate with fans two decades later. The character's impact on Cyrus' personal growth and career trajectory underscores the power of representation and the lasting impression that iconic TV characters can have.

The details

In her acceptance speech, Cyrus reflected on how 'Hannah Montana' inspired her own career, saying the character 'gave me the confidence and the courage to perform authentically.' She also joked about her iconic 'double denim and gold scarf' look from the show, saying they had been 'waiting over a decade to leave the house.' Cyrus also discussed the recent 20th anniversary of 'Hannah Montana's' premiere, which was celebrated with a Disney+ special a few days prior to the awards show.

  • The iHeartRadio Music Awards took place on March 26, 2026.
  • The 20th anniversary of 'Hannah Montana's' premiere was celebrated on March 24, 2026 with a Disney+ special.

The players

Miley Cyrus

A 33-year-old singer and actress who rose to fame as the star of the Disney Channel series 'Hannah Montana' in the 2000s.

Hannah Montana

The fictional pop star persona that Miley Cyrus portrayed on the Disney Channel series of the same name, which aired from 2006 to 2011.

Dolly Parton

Miley Cyrus' godmother, who provided her with the advice to 'promote it before it exists' in order to make the 'Hannah Montana' 20th anniversary special happen.

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What they’re saying

“My double denim and gold scarf thank you, because they've been waiting over a decade to leave the house.”

— Miley Cyrus

“I fell in love with the idea that you can create a persona that gives you the confidence and the courage to perform authentically and that sometimes the fake you can actually reveal the real you.”

— Miley Cyrus

“Innovation for me hasn't been about leaving who I've been behind, but about keeping the journey of finding myself a lot of fun.”

— Miley Cyrus

The takeaway

Miley Cyrus' heartfelt speech at the iHeartRadio Music Awards underscores the lasting impact that iconic TV characters can have on an actor's personal growth and career trajectory. Her reflections on how 'Hannah Montana' gave her confidence and courage to perform authentically highlight the power of representation and the way that fictional personas can sometimes reveal an artist's true self.