She has the best of both worlds: Miley Cyrus became her first Grammy winner this year, and now she's been named a Disney Legend.
Lenny Wilson took the stage to introduce Cyrus, delivering a lively rendition of Hannah Montana's classic “The Best of Both Worlds.” After the song, she told the singer, “Miley, I want to thank you for never being afraid to step out of your comfort zone, for always staying true to yourself, and most importantly, for always being strong.”
“I’m going to let everyone in on a little Disney legend secret. I’m the one who tells you what you shouldn’t know. And what I’m saying is that legends get scared too. I’m scared right now, but the difference is we do it anyway, and you can all do it every day. It’s legendary to be scared and do it anyway. There’s no such thing as failure when you try,” Cyrus said, wiping away tears.
“In 2005, Disney was on a mission to rebuild the company. That’s why they hired Bob Iger, and me,” Cyrus continued with a laugh, recalling her casting process for “Hannah Montana.”
“I still stand here proud to be Hannah Montana,” Cyrus said. “This award is dedicated to Hannah and all of her amazing, loyal fans, and everyone who made my dream come true. As the legend herself would say, that’s life,” she added, referring to the Hannah Montana song of the same name.
At a star-studded ceremony Sunday night at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, Cyrus was honored alongside costume designer Colleen Atwood, Angela Bassett, Disney Parks cast member Martha Blanding, James L. Brooks, James Cameron, Jamie Lee Curtis, Marvel Comics artist Steve Ditko, Harrison Ford, animator Mark Henn, Frank Oz, Kelly Ripa, creator Joe Rohde and John Williams.
The Disney Legends Awards program is a hall of fame for individuals who have had a significant impact on the Disney legacy. Past honorees include Christina Aguilera, Stan Lee, Betty White, and Oprah Winfrey.
Cyrus' journey with the “House of Mouse” began when she was a teenager, starring in the hit Disney Channel sitcom “Hannah Montana,” playing an ordinary girl living a double life as a pop singer. The series spawned a world tour, a musical and a feature film — and made Cyrus a household name. The series drew an average of 4.4 million viewers per episode, and still holds the record for the highest-rated primetime TV series ever aired, with a 2007 episode that drew 10.7 million viewers.
Cyrus later voiced Penny in the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “Bolt” alongside John Travolta. She received a Golden Globe nomination for her song from the project, “I Thought I Lost You”.
She shed her clean-cut image over time with hits like “We Can't Stop,” “Wrecking Ball” and “Malibu,” but returned to her roots last year with a Disney+ concert special called “Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions).”
At 31, Cyrus is now the youngest person ever to be named a Disney Legend.
