Miley Cyrus Opens Up about the Struggle of being Hannah Montana

Celebs

| LAST UPDATE 08/08/2021

By Georgina White
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The 15th anniversary of Hannah Montana came and went, but Miley Cyrus was still left with some feelings about the fictional alter-ego that changed her life. Here's what the former-Disney star had to say.

miley cyrus mental health
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Miley sat down on Kevin Hart's new talk show on Peacock, Hart to Hart to rehash the whirlwind journey that was growing up as Hannah Montana. And while Miley's reign on Disney brought smiles to millions of fans around the world, it was always as easy for the teen pop sensation. Cyrus laid it all on the table when speaking with Hart, who was really surprised to hear about the struggles that Miley faced from that young age. From the age of 12, Miley was living the double life that she portrayed on the television show, and found it increasingly difficult to separate work from life.

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"The concept of the show is that when I would alter my image and I would put on a wig, and I would put on sparkly things, that I held a value - that I was valuable," Miley admitted. "It did translate into my real life." According to the 28-year-old singer, the difference she'd feel from the fans when she was without her blonde wig made her feel like she wasn't enough on her own. "There was a different level of hysteria...the way that kids would react at these Hannah shows, versus when I was myself and I would meet fans. It was different."

miley cyrus hannah montana
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But part of the struggle was how intertwined the show, the fictional character, and Miley were from the time the Disney program started. "It [was] beyond method [acting] because I was growing up as her," Cyrus explained while Kevin Hart sat in awe. "She was me; there was no divide between us... That's who I was." And it got to such an extreme point that Miley felt the need to create "alter egos" of herself when she performed as Miley Cyrus. But thankfully, after years of reflection, Miley felt peace towards the fictional character and the impact it made on her life.

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