Aly Michalka Explains the Reasons Why She Turned Down Offer to Star in “Hannah Montana” Instead of Miley Cyrus

Aly Michalka has some thoughts about the choice she didn’t make.

On the Jan. 8 episode of Call Her Daddy with Alex Cooper, Aly appeared alongside her sister AJ Michalka, whom she releases music with under the name Aly & AJ. After the duo signed with Disney’s Hollywood Records in 2004, Aly, now 35, also began appearing in the Disney Channel series Phil of the Future. And, as she told Cooper, as the second (and final) season of that show came to an end, executives at the Disney Channel offered her Hannah Montana.

“[They] were like, ‘This pilot has come in and we think that you're really perfect for it,’ ” she remembered. But when she read the pilot, she thought, “But I'm doing music as Aly and this might be really confusing being Hannah and being the character also playing Hannah.” Cooper, 30, noted, “There’d be three of you.”

Aly’s other concern was “How does AJ relate to this?” The executives told her, “AJ could play the best friend part, Lily.” But Aly thought, “It feels like it’s my show. It’s not really the Hannah and Lily show.” (Lily was ultimately played by Emily Osment.)

Aly noted, “We weren't on the channel for that long. I booked Phil at 13 and then by the time it was over ... I was like almost 17 I think when [Hannah Montana] was offered. And I just remember thinking I've kind of done what I wanted to do here on the channel.”

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“We had done Cow Belles,” AJ, 33, said, referencing their 2006 Disney Channel Original Movie. “The music had aired a lot on Disney Channel.” That included their 2007 track “Potential Breakup Song,” which often aired on the channel’s commercial breaks and became the duo’s biggest commercial success. And though Miley Cyrus ultimately became Hannah Montana, the three were good friends.

Aly and AJ also talked to Cooper about what it was like being child actors. “I made like $7,000 per episode on [Phil of the Future],” Aly said. “That ain’t nothing. But I guess for a kids’ show you're kind of like that's great, that could go into their college fund.”

Related: Aly Michalka Tried Dating Kevin Jonas While Sister AJ Was with Joe but They Weren't 'Vibing': 'You Can't Force It'

But the duo felt like their parents helped them stay grounded. “I can tell you we weren't the boss of our household, that's for sure,” AJ said. “Just because we were working did not put us at the top. We were the kids.” Their parents were also “very, very clear” that they were not going to be partying with adults when they were underage.

“I just feel like when you're younger, you can kind of get away with it if you're in the industry, just rolling into every situation,” AJ said. Aly, who welcomed her first child in June 2024, added, “And you're like a little mini adult, even though you really shouldn't be.” Their mom was also on set with them to protect them.

Both sisters continued to act and to release music together, including their 2023 album With Love From. In 2024, AJ appeared on The Masked Singer as Strawberry Shortcake, finishing in third. "I'm not mad at [third place]," she told PEOPLE at the time. "I wanted top two, but it's solid." She also told PEOPLE that originally the sisters were asked to do it together, but Aly welcomed her son Jack in June and had to turn it down.

“I talked to her and was like, ‘Hey, would you be okay with me just doing it on my own?’ And she was like, ‘Hell yeah. Go kill it,’ ” AJ said. “It was exciting. I've never done anything without her on stage.”

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