Former Disney kids, prepare yourselves because we just learned a surprising fact that has given us a totally new perspective on the popular tween show Hannah Montana. In a recent interview with People, Billy Ray Cyrus said that the character of Miley Stewart, who was played by his daughter Miley Cyrus, was originally supposed to have another name. That's right, the true identity of the teen pop star was initially Kylie Stewart, and our minds are blown.
Billy Ray Cyrus explained that on the first day of filming for the Disney Channel show, the main character's real name was changed from Kylie to Miley because he kept getting confused. He said, "Hannah Montana was originally written about Kylie, and ... up until the day we started filming the pilot, it was still Kylie. But I kept saying 'Miley,' and by the third time into it somebody stopped and said 'Wait a minute, everybody, script change ... Kylie is now Miley.'"
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
We can imagine that it would be hard to call your own daughter by a different name, especially one that sounded that similar. And, to be honest, we're selfishly glad they didn't go with Kylie because we really only have room in our brains for one famous teen of that name. It looks like we're not the only ones who are happy Disney didn't go with the name Kylie. Cyrus told People, "I think looking back at it, that was quintessential to who Hannah Montana was because what it did was open up a door to the real [Miley]."
In the interview, Billy Ray Cyrus talked a lot about "the real Miley." He said, "She’s so real. If she’s doing a scene on Saturday Night Live or being Miley in the kitchen or at her house or Carpool Karaoke, she’s just so undeniably Miley — there’s only one Miley." These kind words from her dad support what Miley Cyrus recently told Harper's Bazaar, "People have known me since I was so young, they think they know me. I heard so many comments like, ‘We just want Miley back.’ But you can’t tell me who that is. I’m right here."
Read these stories next: