Emotional Miley Cyrus becomes youngest Disney Legend

Miley Cyrus has become the youngest-ever star to receive Disney legend status.

The singer rose to fame playing Hannah Montana in the Disney Channel series which first aired in 2006 when she was 13.

In an emotional speech at fan convention D23 on Sunday, Miley said she was “still proud to have been Hannah Montana”.

She won her first Grammy earlier this year for Flowers, which was recognised as 2023’s record of the year and spent 10 weeks at number one in the UK.

The 31-year-old received a standing ovation from the 12,000-strong crowd when she collected her award at the Honda Centre in Anaheim, California, home of Disneyland.

She told the audience “a little bit of everything has changed” since her breakout role playing a teenager leading a double life as a pop star “but at the same time nothing has changed at all”.

Miley was brought out on stage as country singer Lainey Wilson sang one of Hannah Montana’s most popular tracks, The Best of Both Worlds.

She became emotional as she told the audience of her first performance as Hannah.

“We needed footage of her playing sold out concerts but no-one knew who she, aka Miley, was,” she said.

Tickets were given away at a shopping centre, she continued, “where I would have my first free concert”.

“In reality I was a little girl in a blonde wig at the mall with a big dream.

“But in my heart I was Hannah Montana and I was so proud to be,” she said.

“This award is dedicated to Hannah and all of her amazing, loyal fans, and to everyone who has made my dream a reality.

“To quote the legend herself, This Is The Life.”

Miley also joked that she “definitely wasn’t created in a lab”, in a nod to rumours that Disney kids are created in the Californian Disney office.

“If I was, there must have been a bug in the system which caused me to malfunction somewhere between the years of 2013 and 2016.”

Miley left behind her Disney kid image with the 2013 released of her fourth album, Bangerz.

In the same year she did a duet of We Can’t Stop with Blurred Lines singer Robin Thicke at the MTV VMAs.

The performance was so provocative that it even drew criticism from the inventor of the foam finger – a prop Miley used in memorable ways during the show.

Miley wasn’t the only star honoured at the convention – Star Wars and Indiana Jones actor Harrison Ford was also named as a Disney Legend, alongside Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis.

Harrison said he was “really delighted and a little bit embarrassed” to be honoured but also “so very grateful”.

“I have the privilege of being a storyteller, an assisted storyteller,” the 82-year-old said.

“I love the people I’ve had the opportunity to work with.”

Jamie was introduced by Mean Girls star Lindsay Lohan, who played her daughter in the 2003 version of Freaky Friday.

They’re due to reprise their roles next year in the sequel, Freakier Friday.

Jamie, who won an Oscar last year for Everything Everywhere All At Once, also became emotional during the ceremony.

“The truth is, legends aren’t formed,” the 65-year-old told the audience.

“They’re created when they’re nurtured and educated.”

It wasn’t just stars celebrated at the ceremony. In total, 14 people were recognised as Disney Legends at the event.

They include composer John Williams, costume designer Colleen Atwood and Disneyland’s first ever full-time black tour guide, Martha Blanding.

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