Miley Cyrus Is Now The Youngest Person To Be Honored As A Disney Legend, And Her Speech Was Just As Legendary
Miley Cyrus is officially a legend.
If you remember, Disney announced in March that Miley would be named a Disney Legend. On Sunday, her heartfelt acceptance speech shows that she's more than deserving of Disney's "highest honor."
To kick it off, Academy Award-winning country singer Lainey Wilson introduced Miley by performing a rendition of Hannah Montana's "The Best of Both Worlds" and said, "Miley, I want to thank you for never being afraid to step outside the box, always staying true to yourself, and most importantly, always kicking butt."
Miley's status exploded after she starred in Disney Channel's Hannah Montana when she was 13. The series led to a world tour, a concert film, and a feature film about an ordinary girl who lives a double life as a pop star.
From there, Miley built a successful music career beyond Hannah Montana with TV/movie roles, hit records, and awards. And now, the 31-year-old superstar was honored as the youngest Disney Legend at the D23 Expo.
Disney Legends is a hall of fame awarded to people who have enormously impacted the Disney legacy across any or all of its properties — parks, movies, and television.
Folks who received this honor in the past include Stan Lee, Betty White, Oprah Winfrey, and Christina Aguilera, so it's fair to say that Miley is in legendary company.
Variety / Penske Media via Getty Images
"I'm gonna let everybody in on a little Disney Legend secret. I'm the one that tells you what you're not supposed to know," Miley began her speech. "And what I want to say, is that legends get scared, too. I'm scared right now, but the difference is we do it anyway, and all of you can do that every single day."
"It's legendary to be afraid and do it anyway. There is no such thing as failure when you try."
Miley Cyrus wipes away tears during her Disney Legends acceptance speech at #D23. pic.twitter.com/iMU2UCcsgu
— Variety (@Variety) August 12, 2024
Variety / Twitter: @Variety
"In 2005, Disney was on a mission to rebuild the company. That's why they hired Bob Iger, and me," Miley said jokingly, referencing the massive success of the Hannah Montana franchise.
"I stand here still proud to have been Hannah Montana," Miley said. "This award is dedicated to Hannah and all of her amazing, loyal fans, and to everyone who has made my dream a reality. To quote the legend herself, 'This is the life,'" she continued, referencing the Hannah Montana song.
Miley Cyrus: "I stand here still proud to have been Hannah Montana...This award is dedicated to Hannah and all of her amazing, loyal fans." https://t.co/LwufAbcq81 pic.twitter.com/8p7MNcivXe
— Variety (@Variety) August 12, 2024
Variety / Twitter: @Variety
Miley was honored alongside Angela Bassett, James Cameron, Jamie Lee Curtis, Harrison Ford, Frank Oz, Kelly Ripa, composer John Williams, James L. Brooks, costume designer Colleen Atwood, Disney Parks cast member Martha Blanding, Marvel comic artist Steve Ditko, animator Mark Henn, and Imagineer Joe Rohde.
From being that random little girl in one of my favorite movies, Big Fish (2003), to giving us one of the best edgy former child star eras in music history (I'm talking about Bangerz, BTW), to finally being recognized for your talent on the Grammys stage — Miley is definitely a legend.
Columbia Pictures, Amy Sussman / Getty Images
You better go off, Miley!