Written by John Watson in Celebrities
Viewed by 148 readers since 12-30-2008
Destiny Hope Cyrus was born in Nashville, Tennessee on November 23rd, 1992, the daughter of country star, Billy Ray Cyrus (Achy Breaky Heart). Her early years were that of a normal kid, no celebrity trappings, in that she attended a public school where she pursued cheerleading activities.
She showed no real interest in an entertainment career until the age of 9, when she made a small appearance on “Doc,” a short-lived TV show that starred her father. That was quickly followed by a minor role in Tim Burton’s “Big Fish,” as well as several other appearances on variety shows alongside Billy Ray. It was at this point that she was truly bitten by the entertaining bug, and at 12 years of age she auditioned for a new Disney show called “Hannah Montana.” Disney execs originally considered her too slight for the part, but were eventually swayed by her dogged persistence to win the role, to the point of allowing her to keep her strong Southern accent, a trait that was not part of the original character concept. Destiny adopted Miley as her stage name, a derivative of her childhood nickname “Smiley.”
In the 4 years since that initial audition, the show and character of Hannah Montana has become a phenomenon among the teenage girl set. CD’s, DVD’s, and merchandise, all containing her image, line the shelves of every major retailer and have been added to the wishlist of all her adoring fans. On top of all that, she has also embarked on several, sold-out, tours, under the Hannah Montana name, all of which has combined to make her one of the most marketable young faces in the World. This has not gone unnoticed in the business World where she was ranked #17 on Forbes Magazine’s “Top 20 Superstars Under The Age Of 25 List,” with annual earnings approaching 4 million dollars.
Mileys fame hasn’t come without moments of controversy, the most famous of which was a photo shoot for “Vanity Fair” where the, at that time, 15 year old Miley was photographed topless, although covered, by famed photographer Annie Liebowitz. The spread caused a major uproar among parents who were appalled that someone they saw as a role model for their kids, could do something so risque. Both Cyrus and Liebowitz apologized for the nature of the photos, and the furor quickly died down. Other minor bumps in the road, included an internet fueled, pregnancy hoax, and a scene from one of her shows where she and her father were shown driving in a car without seat belts, both of which also disappeared with little or no fanfare.
The controversies have done nothing to slow down the Hannah Montana phenomenon continues unabated, with a movie release planned for 2009. Miley has also been busy working away from the HM franchise, voicing the character, Penny, in the Disney movie, “Bolt”, and recording 2 original songs for the soundtrack. She will also be starring in another Disney release, “Further Adventures In Babysitting,” which should see the light of day in 2010. It’s a wise career choice for the astute young woman who looks to have a continued successful career, long after the inevitable demise of her onscreen alter ego.
