20th Hannah-versary Special: Say What Now?!

The moment we have all been waiting for is finally here! I’ve been waiting for this anniversary special for a month now since the official release date was announced. I was simultaneously scared and really excited to see how Disney, alongside Miley Cyrus, were going to create such an important special for fans without ruining the nostalgic elements of it all. I’m not sure if anyone else feels this way, but Disney Channel’s official social media accounts were working overtime to feed my Hannah Montana nostalgia—a marketing strategy that worked perfectly on fans like me. 

As I watched the anniversary special and the Best of Both Worlds performance played on my screen, I was filled with nostalgia and excitement. Alex Cooper interviews Miley Cyrus on her experience as both Hannah Montana and Miley Stewart, and on how this character changed the course of her life for the better. During the interview, Cooper asked Cyrus how she felt, being in the mix alongside such important actors, shows, and movies like That’s So Raven, The Suit Life of Zack and Cody, Wizards of Waverly Place, and High School Musical. Cyrus stated that it was really fun working with them on set, as well as spilled the tea on who she dated in the past, like Dylan Sprouse and Nick Jonas. By the end, Cyrus got really emotional on all the support she received over the years, transitioning from Hannah Montana to herself. She revealed her initial resentment towards the character after the show ended, but is now able to appreciate that Hannah has always been a part of her.

“This show defined an entire generation.”

-Alex Cooper

Even though there weren’t many special guest stars during the anniversary special, the ones that showed up left me in the uttermost shock. Most of the Cyrus family made an appearance, including Tish Cyrus-Purcell, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Noah Cyrus—as well as Selena Gomez and Chappel Roan. Tish and Miley spent time reminiscing on the set and the famous Hannah Montana walk-in- closet. There, we found out that her mom had a lot of say in things that pertained to the show, and would even shop for clothes that reminded her of Hannah or Miley Stewart. Later, Selena Gomez and Miley discussed their characters’ banter and how, as actors, they wouldn’t get away with the insults their characters said to each other on a children’s TV show. 

Billy Ray and Miley reminisced on their life on set as a father-daughter duo and read a couple of lines from one of the last episodes of the show. Miley also expressed how both her parents tried their hardest to keep her safe and away from the troubles of life on set, wanting her to experience a semi-normal childhood through it all. Another heartwarming moment was the conversation with Chappel Roan. It was pretty short, although especially sweet. Roan expresses how she grew up watching the show and praised Cyrus for being confident in her own skin as both Hannah and her present self, forming a pathway for artists just like Roan to be able to openly express themselves in the industry. Finally, Noah Cyrus came out during the end credits with a cake in hand for her big sister. Miley, Tish, and her quickly reflect on how Noah would always play “the little girl” in a scene, whenever one was needed.

“You never tried to keep me Hannah; you wanted Miley to be herself.”

-Miley Cyrus, to her mom, Tish Cyrus

Let’s talk about the songs in the special, Cyrus gave updated performances of This is the Life and The Climb. These songs are still important to the generation that grew up watching both the show and the movie. They represent both the hardships and courage of living, not only a double life, but moving forward when things don’t go as planned. The last song in the special, titled Younger You, was a very moving one and was dedicated to the fans. I personally feel like the song encompasses everything Cyrus went through in the public eye, while transitioning from life as Hannah to Miley. Through the lyrics, she reminds herself of the things she did before fame and expresses her hopes to continue doing them. She also conveys in the song how life is good right now, and that everything will be alright.

“I loved being Hannah then; I’m so living for it now.”

-Miley Cyrus

As someone who grew up with Hannah Montana and still listens to the albums shamelessly—it’s safe to say that Disney and Miley captured the magic of Hannah Montana through this special. Even though I would have loved to have seen the entire main cast reunited once again, they still did a good job incorporating those moments through their conversations and clips of the show. If you still haven’t watched the special and used to love Hannah Montana, I highly recommend reliving that moment from your childhood by watching it.