It feels like only yesterday that a bubbly, bright-eyed teenager from Tennessee stepped onto our screens with a secret bigger than her sky-high hair. Twenty years ago, Hannah Montana premiered on Disney Channel, leaving an indelible mark on pop culture for decades to come. Now, in 2026, Miley Cyrus has journeyed back to where it all began and the results are nothing short of magical.
Premiering March 24 on Disney+, the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special features a sit-down interview between Miley and super-fan Alex Cooper, host of Call Her Daddy, along with recreated sets from the show, a performance of “The Best of Both Worlds,” and emotional conversations with Miley’s mum Tish Cyrus and her dad and co-star Billy Ray Cyrus.
But this isn’t just a trip down memory lane. It’s a full-blown, heartfelt love letter to the show and to the fans who never stopped believing in it.
She Willed It Into Existence
Here’s the most Miley Cyrus thing you’ll hear all day: the special didn’t actually exist when she started teasing it to fans. “I learned this terrible habit from Dolly Parton,” she revealed. “She told me that if you want something to happen, promote it before it exists. Then no one can say no. So I just started promoting a Hannah Montana 20th-anniversary special that literally did not exist.” Disney executives confirmed she absolutely willed it into reality and that every decision made along the way has been for the fans.
Back on the Malibu Set
Disney recreated the sets of the Stewart house for the special, and Tish pulled out dozens of outfits, fan letters and scrapbooks she had saved in her archives. Watching Miley walk through a faithfully reconstructed version of that iconic kitchen is the kind of nostalgia hit that bypasses your brain entirely and goes straight to the heart.
The special follows Miley in an interview with Alex Cooper, revisiting the moments, music and memories of Hannah Montana with never-before-seen archival footage. True to her vision, Cyrus said she wanted to keep Hannah preserved rather than modernised and that filming the special “felt like home again.”
The Music, the Feels, and a Brand New Song
The performances alone are worth the price of a Disney+ subscription. Cyrus opens what she called the “Hannahversary” with the series’ iconic theme song “The Best of Both Worlds” and later dives into a sing-along version of “This Is the Life.” But she really brings on the waterworks with “Younger You,” a brand-new song penned just for the anniversary. It’s the kind of song that sounds simple on the surface but carries the weight of an entire childhood and if you grew up watching Hannah Montana, it will absolutely destroy you in the best possible way.
Surprise Guests and Candid Confessions
No anniversary special would be complete without a few surprises, and this one delivers. The special marks Chappell Roan’s first in-person meeting with Miley Cyrus. There are also delightfully candid moments where Miley opens up about her Disney Channel crushes, including the revelation that she had a thing for co-star Mitchel Musso, who played her best friend Oliver on the show. She also confirms she dated Dylan Sprouse, which will send the internet’s collective memory into overdrive.
Where Is Everyone Now?
The big bittersweet note of the special is the absence of Emily Osment, who played Miley’s best friend Lilly Truscott across all four seasons. Osment was forced to skip the special due to a scheduling conflict with her CBS sitcom Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage. In an Instagram video, she told fans: “Hannah Montana changed my life,” adding, “Thank you for letting me into your living rooms and I hope to still be there many years from now.” No bad blood, just unfortunate timing. Her absence is felt, but her love for the show is very much present.
A Legacy That Never Really Left
What makes the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special remarkable isn’t just the nostalgia. It’s the genuine affection everyone involved clearly still has for this show. In one of the most touching moments, Miley tears up and tells her mum: “I’ve loved being Hannah. I’ve loved being Miley Cyrus. But what I’m most proud of is who I am as a person. You really taught me to be who I am.”
For a generation raised on secret identities, catchy theme songs, and the belief that you really could have the best of both worlds, this one hits differently. Hannah Montana didn’t just give us a pop star. It gave us permission to be complicated, to be two things at once, to dream big and stay true to yourself.
Twenty years on, that message is still worth celebrating.
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