Miley Cyrus dives headfirst into nostalgia in the new Disney+ special.

The best and worst moments from the Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special

Miley Cyrus dives headfirst into nostalgia in the new Disney+ special.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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March 24, 2026 2:10 p.m. ET

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Miley Cyrus performs in 'Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special'. Credit:

Twenty years ago, *Hannah Montana* arrived on Disney Channel and introduced the world to two stars: the titular fictional pop star — rocking bangles, bedazzled outfits and more sequins than the eye can see — and Miley Cyrus, a 13-year-old "country bumpkin" turned superstar.

Now, Miley is once again delivering the best of both worlds by celebrating the show's milestone anniversary with an hour-long special looking back on her Disney legacy. With the help of host Alex Cooper (*Call Her Daddy*) and a fun slate of special guests, Cyrus is donning blonde hair (this time, it's not a wig!), singing her classic jams, revisiting her old haunts, and talking through all that *Hannah* means to both her and the fans.

So, how did all those nostalgic moments land? Keep reading to see the highs and lows of the *Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special* — or, as Miley calls it, her *Hannah*-versary.

BEST: Hannah’s first performance in 15 years

Miley Cyrus onstage as Hannah Montana.

Was there ever a world where the *Hannah*-versary *didn't* begin with "Best of Both Worlds?" It wouldn't be a true anniversary if they didn't honor the iconic theme song. In the opening few moments of the special, Hannah Montana is back onstage in all her glory, showing off her classic choreography, flipping her blonde hair and — of course — rocking a Disney Channel appropriate outfit. This time around, every detail is just a little more grown up.

Not only are Miley's vocals more stunning than ever, she's also gone designer for her Hannah return. There's still a sequined scarf involved, but it's clear that this iteration of Hannah is embracing her past with a lot more maturity. And yes, "Best of Both Worlds" is still a bop.

The second time Hannah takes the stage for the special, we get a two-song combo that perfectly bookends her legacy. She starts with "This Is The Life," the very first song that Miley ever sang as Hannah. Then comes  "The Climb," the chart-topping hit that marked the start of a new era for the show and its star. As Miley tears it up on vocals and the crowd screams along to the songs, it's clear that these stage moments are hitting all the right notes — literally and figuratively.

WORST: Only 3 songs?!

Miley Cyrus onstage as Hannah Montana.

Scratch that: There is one problem with Hannah's return to the stage. It's too short! We've been robbed! Where are "I Got Nerve" and "Ordinary Girl"? How did "Nobody's Perfect" not make the tracklist? And where are the special guest stars?

Like any massive pop star, Hannah understood the power of a great collab. Did nobody think to call the Jonas Brothers and get them onstage for a performance of "We Got the Party"? We all know that they're taking Disney Channel's calls again, so why not put that corporate synergy to good work?

BEST: Miley recreates the iconic Hannah Montana transition (among other things)

Miley Cyrus looking through the glass on 'Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special'.

Recreating the Stewart house set? Very cool. Getting Miley to dye her hair Hannah Montana blonde? Solid. It's clear that plenty of effort went into pulling off the *Hannah*-versary, but let's be real, nothing compares to hearing Cyrus recreate the iconic "Ooh-whoa-ooh-whoa-yeaaaah" transition music. There's really no better way to jump from one scene to another. If anything, we needed to hear those interstitials a couple dozen more times.

Miley similarly pays tribute to a few other quintessential Hannah Montana moments, including the season 3 goodbye wave that has now become a full blown meme and the "Hoedown Throwdown," which she recreates from memory. Because once you've popped it, locked it, and polka-dotted it, you never forget.

WORST: Wait, what’s Chappell Roan doing here?

Miley Cyrus and Chappell Roan.

Listen, it's always a pleasure to see Chappell Roan and there *is* something very sweet and full-circle about having someone who grew up loving *Hannah Montana* praise Miley for her legacy but… isn't that what Alex Cooper is here for? And more importantly, how is it that Chappell got the call to cameo in the *Hannah*-versary special instead of Miley's castmates Jason Earles, Moisés Arias, or Mitchel Musso? Emily Osment has explained that she couldn't make the special's premiere event due to filming for *Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage*, but she's also sorely missed in the special itself.

And main cast members aside, *Hannah Montana a*lso has a very deep bench of guest stars and memorable supporting characters. Where was Corbin Bleu to put that ketchup moisturizer to good use? Or Jesse McCartney to reprise his role as *checks notes* himself? Why didn't Cody Linley and Drew Roy return to settle their love triangle dispute once and for all? The best part of most TV anniversary specials is a good old-fashioned cast reunion, and it's just too bad that didn't come to pass for *Hannah Montana*. But hey, there's always the 30th anniversary special.

BEST: Miley dishes on her Disney Channel romances

Dylan Sprouse, Miley Cyrus and Cole Sprouse at the 2007 Power of Youth on October 6, 2007 in Universal City, California.

Chris Polk/WireImage

Miley got to live the suite life for a little bit — and at long last, we got to hear about it. The former child star made a surprising revelation about her tween love life, sharing that she once secretly dated one of her fellow Disney Channel.

"Dylan [Sprouse] was my boyfriend," Miley revealed, addressing old rumors that the Disney alums were once an item. "Confirmed. I think he was the cutest."

She added that she ended up hanging out with both Sprouse twins, quipping, "Their dad would take us to sushi. It was a two-for-one. Like, bring the brother!"

Miley's teenage romance with Nick Jonas, meanwhile*,* is well-documented, but that doesn't mean it isn't still fun to hear about. Jonas got one mention in the anniversary special, when Miley revealed that it was partially her idea to have the Jonas Brothers open for Hannah Montana's Best of Both Worlds tour… because she wanted to spend more time with Nick.

"Literally the reason that the Jonas Brothers were on tour with me was 'cause Nick was my boyfriend and I wanted to not leave my boyfriend," she dished. "So I'd be like, 'Okay I'll go on tour if my boyfriend can come' and they were like, 'Cute! Have your boyfriend open for the show.'"

Talk about a power play.

WORST: Miley and Billy Ray read their lines

Miley Cyrus and Bill Ray Cyrus in 'Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary special'.

While it was definitely sweet to watch Miley reunite with Bill Ray Cyrus in their fictional home (especially amid the rumored drama), it was a little painful to watch them try to recreate one of the show's emotional highs. The father-daughter duo unfortunately kept the reminiscing pretty brief before heading over to the Stewart family kitchen to pick up their old scripts and recite some lines from *Hannah*'s final season. It's, uh, clearly been a while since they revisited these characters which is perhaps why their impromptu scene is spliced with footage from the actual show — reminding us what dialogue sounds like when it isn't being stiffly read off the page.

But on the bright side, we do get to watch them attempt their special handshake from memory — finger guns, booty bump and all.

BEST: Miley reminisces about the golden era of Disney Channel

Miley Cyrus and Vanessa Hudgens.

Nostalgia is powerful. So it's pretty hard not to feel a twinge of emotion when Miley opens up about what it was like to be part of a golden era at Disney, when the network's stars were becoming household names. Looking back on that period, Miley recalls that *High School Musical* stars and former real-life couple Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron were the "coolest kids ever" and bragged that she became fast friends with them.

"They loved me, because I was mature for my age," she said, recalling how she shared a car with them to the Disney upfronts.

And while Miley didn't have eyes for Efron at the time, she spilled that her crush has grown with time. "'*High School Musical*' Zac is not the one I want," she said. "I like ripped, a little older."

BEST: Miley and Selena Gomez revisit their rivalry

Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez.

Fans aren't the only ones who got to enjoy several pleasant surprises during the anniversary special — producers also planned a few special moments for Miley. One of them included her former onscreen nemesis and offscreen bestie Selena Gomez joining the party for a stroll down memory lane. While reminiscing about the rivalry between Hannah and fellow pop star Mikayla, the duo couldn't believe some of the lines they got away with.

"We were pretty vicious," Cyrus said.

"It's pretty mean," Gomez agreed.

Cut to their teenage selves hurling insults like "bottle blonde" and "bra-stuffer." Brutal!

WORST: Miley teases Taylor Swift tea… and doesn’t really deliver

Taylor Swift in 'Hannah Montana: The Movie'.

Okay, sure, Miley tells a pretty cute story about how Taylor Swift landed her gig in *Hannah Montana: The Movie* but it comes after she winks and teases that she has great tea to spill about the singer's involvement in the movie. But then there's no big reveal! Just a remark about how well Swift fit the setting for her scene.

"This was kind of the beginning of her career," Miley explains. "They were looking for someone that would authentically — no shade — be performing in a barn."

She added that Taylor also penned "You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home," the song that closed out the movie: "Credit where credit’s due," Miley said. "She ate with that one."

BEST: Miley’s emotional ode to Hannah

Miley gets emotional during 'Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special'.

Throughout the special, Miley expresses so much love for all that *Hannah Montana* is and was, at one point tearing up while expressing gratitude for the fans. After her cathartic performance of "The Climb," Cyrus took a few moments to explain what a special place Hannah will always have in her heart.

"I used to think of Hannah as something separate from myself. I would think of her as a character," Cyrus told the crowd. "Even though it was me, I would always think about what would be best for Hannah, and I didn’t always think about that as if we were integrated. And what I’m loving about this special is that it’s my merging of Hannah and Miley together."

In the spirit of that merging, Miley ends the special by debuting a new ballad, "Younger Now." With clips from the show and her childhood playing the background and her Hannah-blonde aesthetic, it's clearer than ever that Miley is embracing the best of both worlds.

BEST/WORST: Cute credits clips show what could’ve been

Noah Cyrus, Tish Cyrus and Miley Cyrus.

Just in case you were getting a little misty after Miley's emotional moment, the anniversary ends with a bunch of sweet snippets of footage from the special. One of the very first sees Noah Cyrus make an appearance, presenting her sister with a cake before recalling some of her own *Hannah Montana* memories — namely, the fact that she played a dozen little girls across a bunch of different episodes.

In another clip, Billy Ray considers having his own Hannah moment  ("Can I wear the wig?") and elsewhere, Miley goes through a rack of clothes declaring which fits are more "Hannah" and which are more "Miley." These snippets rule — and it's hard not to wish the special included more of these sweet, silly, candid moments.

- Children’s Shows

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Children’s”