Miley Cyrus Claims Disney Legend Status as Part of This Year’s New Cohort

You’ll always find your way back home, and those words never rang truer than they did for Miley Cyrus, who just cemented herself in Disney history. The actress, who rose to fame in Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, was named Disney’s youngest legend ever at this year’s D23 ceremony.

oh Miley Cyrus, the iconic career you have, a total legend. pic.twitter.com/zZT8JgMqgP

— Miley Cyrus Charts (@MileyOnStats) August 12, 2024

Before accepting her award, the star and the audience watched a commemorative video displaying her decades of accolades. Backed by “The Climb” and praise from the late Barbra Walters, John Travolta, and Chappell Roan, the singer herself closes the video thanking her fans for sticking around on her 30-year journey and hopes to “take them along for the next 30.”

Miley Cyrus introduction video at Disney Legends!

“Selling concerts from coast to coast, youngest Disney Legend” pic.twitter.com/Yp88NRYDAn

— Miley Cyrus Updates (@MileyCyrusBz) August 12, 2024

Afterward, Lainey Wilson took the stage to perform a rendition of the series theme, “Best of Both Worlds,” with the star herself singing along to the hit. 

Tearfully taking the stage, Cyrus admits she wrote two different speeches. “One long, if I’m the bad*** that I’m supposed to be, and one short if I get scared.” Ultimately, she reveals that she’s scared, but persevering through fear is how legends are made. “Legends get scared too. I’m scared right now, but the difference is, we do it anyway and all of you can do that every single day. It’s legendary to be afraid and do it anyway,” she stated. 

You can change your hair, and you can change your clothes
You can change your mind, that's just the way it goes
You can say "goodbye, " and you can say "hello"
But you'll always find your way back home… pic.twitter.com/osXxgbhPBg

— Miley Cyrus Charts (@MileyOnStats) August 12, 2024

The actress recalled her experience landing the role of the double-life pop star. After multiple auditions and still not landing the part, Disney executives called the preteen after the initial pilot did not deliver. After one last audition, wearing a shirt stating, “I should have my own TV show,” a Disney legend was indeed born. 

Prior to the series premiere, Cyrus shot a small concert to use throughout the first season—but the problem was, no one knew who or what Hannah Montana was. 

“They gave away tickets at the Glendale mall, where I would have my first free concert. The first song I opened with was titled ‘This Is the Life,’ which of course no one knew, because 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 reminisced. 

She then poked fun at her most controversial eras, Bangerz and Dead Petz, and even apologized to the bossman himself. 

“There was a buzz in that Burbank Disney office, where it’s rumored they create all of us Disney kids. I definitely wasn’t created in a lab and 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. Sorry, Mickey.”

However, she closed with a sentimental moment, looking back on her legacy and realizing that while so much time has passed, not much is different.

“A little bit of everything has changed since that day, but at the same time, nothing has changed at all. I stand here still proud to have been Hannah Montana because she made Miley in so many ways. 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.’”

Cyrus, now the youngest recipient cemented in history, joined the 2024 Legends cohort alongside Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kelly Ripa, Harrison Ford, Joe Rhode, and many others. 

It’s safe to say Miley Cyrus is in stellar company and will continue to create and inspire for decades to come. You can stream Hannah Montana on Disney+ now.