Miley Cyrus Tells Hilary Duff the 'Only Reason' She Wanted Hannah Montana Role Was to 'Copy' Her
Miley Cyrus is crediting Hilary Duff as her personal inspiration.
The two former Disney Channel stars reconnected during Wednesday’s episode of Cyrus’ Instagram Live talk show Bright Minded: Live With Miley, in which the “Slide Away” singer, 27, told Duff, 32, that the “only reason” she took the lead role in Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana was so she could “copy” the Lizzie McGuire alum.
Cyrus began by recounting how she was a huge fan of Duff before landing the iconic part, explaining, “I wanted to say that I came to your concert when I was 11 and I told you that I wore a plaid skirt and Uggs to the show because you wore a plaid skirt and Uggs.”
She continued, “And from the nosebleed seats I was hoping you would notice me and be like, ‘Hey girl, nice Uggs!’ I don’t know what I was thinking, but I was obsessed with your T-shirt. It was bedazzled and it said ‘Nashville,’ and I immediately went and bought a bedazzler and I stayed up all night jeweling everything that I owned.”
Miley Cyrus Instagram Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff
Miley Cyrus Instagram Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff
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Cyrus went on to say that she flew to Los Angeles “almost immediately so I could audition for Disney and I ended up getting the role.”
“But the only reason I wanted it was so I could do whatever you did,” she shared. “And so really, I don’t think I gave a s— about being an actress or a singer. I just wanted to copy you no matter what.”
“So I just wanted to say thank you again for just inspiring me,” the pop star told Duff. “I would never be sitting here, being able to be a light if it wasn’t for you and you showing me how to do that.”
David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
Likewise, the Younger star had nothing but kind words for Cyrus.
“First of all, you’re so sweet, and I feel like I’ve known you for such a long time,” she told Cyrus. “Just to hear you say that, I feel like you have been such a bright light and you have made so many choices that have been so bold and you’re an inspiration to me and to all of us — and you continue to be.”
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“I can’t even believe what you’re saying to me. It’s so sweet and so kind,” the mom of two said. “But really, I think that I totally look to you for inspiration on how to be cool and what to wear and what you’re doing and all of this s—.”
Cyrus jokingly added to her fans that “you can go from stalking someone behind their tour bus to FaceTiming them live on Instagram,” which prompted Duff to break out into giggles.
The sweet exchange comes just a day after Cyrus reunited with another former Disney Channel star, her Hannah Montana castmate Emily Osment.
During the livestream, Cyrus called Osment, 28, “a badass best friend” before showing the actress some of the “pretty embarrassing” photos she had found of them that were taken during the making of their show.
Hannah Montana
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The first picture showed Osment’s character, Lilly Truscott, in a black vest while Cyrus is clad in a leather jacket with a neon pink peplum skirt.
“This was the year Hannah was trying to make tutus and peplums happen,” Cyrus recalled.
“I was wearing a lot of vests, I remember. There were a lot of vests,” Osment commented, before joking that she’s “rocking” the trend in the shot.
“You are rocking it!” Cyrus gushed. “You’re sexy as hell!”
The two then looked at a promotional shot of them wearing matching jeans, to which Osment remarked that particular shoot felt “much longer” than anyone warned them about.
“That was kinda our life for eight years,” Cyrus shared. “Every day being longer than anyone else’s.”
