Miley Cyrus once described a piece of advice from her godmother, Dolly Parton, as a “terrible habit” — but it ultimately helped bring the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special to life.
August 26, 2026: Miley Cyrus is looking back on one of the most influential pieces of advice she received from her godmother, Dolly Parton, following Parton’s death at age 80 on August 25, 2026. The country music legend, actress, and philanthropist died Tuesday, with her passing announced by her nephew Bryan Seaver.
Months before Parton’s death, Cyrus revealed that she had learned a rather unconventional lesson from her famous godmother: if you want something to happen, start talking about it before it officially exists.
Cyrus credited that advice with helping her turn an idea for a Hannah Montana 20th anniversary celebration into an actual Disney+ special. The project eventually became the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, which premiered on March 24, 2026.
HOLR breaks down the story here, including the advice Cyrus received from Parton and how it helped bring one of Disney’s most nostalgic projects back to life.
Miley Cyrus Called Dolly Parton’s Advice a “Terrible Habit”
In a March 2026 interview with Variety, Cyrus opened up about how the Hannah Montana anniversary special came together.
According to Cyrus, Parton told her that if she wanted something to happen, she should promote it before it existed. That way, by the time other people heard about the idea, there would already be momentum behind it.
Cyrus took that advice quite literally.
“I learned this terrible habit—but I actually think it was good advice—from Dolly,” Cyrus told Variety. “She told me that if you want something to happen, promote it before it exists. Then no one can say no.”
Cyrus then began talking publicly about a potential Hannah Montana 20th anniversary project even though the special had not officially been created.
Image Credit: Yahoo
The Hannah Montana Special Did Not Exist Yet
When Cyrus first began teasing the anniversary project, there was no official special in production.
The singer had already been discussing the upcoming 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana and expressing her desire to create something meaningful for fans. But according to her Variety interview, the project was not actually confirmed when she started promoting it.
“So I just started promoting a ‘Hannah Montana’ 20th-anniversary special that literally did not exist,” Cyrus explained.
Rather than waiting for Disney to approach her, Cyrus used the excitement from fans as evidence that there was genuine interest in revisiting the beloved character.
She even sent fan reactions to Disney executives and essentially made the case that the anniversary celebration would be a major event.
Miley Cyrus Helped “Will” the Special Into Existence
Cyrus’ strategy appears to have worked.
Disney executive Charlie Andrews later described the project as something Cyrus “willed into existence.” According to reports, Disney eventually got on board in December, with production work beginning in January.
For Cyrus, the motivation was not simply about bringing Hannah Montana back for another nostalgic moment.
She explained that the character still has a meaningful connection with fans decades after the show first premiered. People still approach her with Hannah Montana merchandise and ask whether she would ever return to the character.
Cyrus said she believes Disney sometimes forgets how strong the connection between her and Hannah remains.
Image Credit: Reddit
Why Hannah Montana Still Means So Much to Miley
Hannah Montana premiered on Disney Channel in March 2006 and became the project that transformed Cyrus into a global star.
The series followed Miley Stewart, a teenager who secretly lived a double life as pop superstar Hannah Montana. It ran for four seasons before ending in 2011.
Twenty years later, Cyrus has described Hannah as a permanent part of who she is rather than a chapter she wants to erase.
That perspective influenced how she approached the anniversary special. Instead of pretending the Hannah Montana years never happened, she wanted to revisit the character while also showing how much she has changed since the original series.
Dolly Parton Had a Special Connection to Hannah Montana
Parton was not simply Cyrus’ godmother in real life. She also became part of the Hannah Montana world.
The country icon appeared as Aunt Dolly in three episodes of the Disney Channel series, bringing her real-life relationship with Cyrus into the fictional story. Parton appeared in Season 1’s “Good Golly, Miss Dolly,” Season 2’s “I Will Always Loathe You” and Season 4’s “Kiss It Goodbye.”
Their connection made Parton one of the most memorable guest stars on the show and gave fans a chance to see the two performers share the screen.
Their relationship also continued outside of Hannah Montana, with Cyrus and Parton appearing together at various events over the years.
The Advice Was More Than Just About Promotion
At first, Cyrus’ description of Parton’s advice sounds like a clever publicity trick. But there is another side to it.
The advice encouraged Cyrus to be confident enough to say what she wanted before she knew exactly how it would happen.
In the case of the Hannah Montana anniversary special, that confidence helped create a conversation among fans. Once Cyrus saw how strongly people responded to the idea, she was able to show Disney that the interest was real.
The project eventually became an official production, proving that the idea had an audience waiting for it.
The Anniversary Special Became a Reality
The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special eventually premiered on Disney+ and Hulu on March 24, exactly two decades after the original series debuted.
The special featured Cyrus revisiting her time as Hannah Montana, performances connected to the series and a conversation with Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper.
It also included a surprise appearance from Selena Gomez, who had appeared on the original show as pop star Mikayla Skeech.
Cyrus approached the project with a clear message: this was for the fans who had kept Hannah Montana alive long after the show ended.
Dolly Parton’s Influence on Miley Cyrus
Parton’s influence on Cyrus has clearly extended beyond music and entertainment.
The two shared a close bond, and Cyrus has repeatedly spoken warmly about her godmother. Parton’s appearances on Hannah Montana also gave their relationship a special place in the show’s history.
Now that Parton has died, Cyrus’ story about the advice she received from her becomes even more poignant.
What Cyrus once jokingly called a “terrible habit” ultimately helped her turn a thought into a real project — one that celebrated 20 years of the character that launched her career.
A Full-Circle Moment for Hannah Montana
There is something particularly fitting about the fact that Parton’s advice helped inspire a project celebrating the legacy of Hannah Montana.
Parton was there during the show’s original run, both as Cyrus’ real-life godmother and as Aunt Dolly on screen. Two decades later, her influence was still present in the story of how Cyrus brought Hannah back.
The anniversary special also allowed Cyrus to revisit a part of her career without being defined by it.
As she explained while discussing the project, she would rather carry all of her past experiences with her than simply leave old versions of herself behind.
HOLR has the latest celebrity and entertainment news, and Cyrus’ story offers a touching reminder of the impact Parton had on her goddaughter. The advice may have sounded unconventional, but it helped Cyrus create enough momentum to turn an idea into reality.
And now, following Parton’s death, that story carries an even more emotional meaning.
Dolly Parton may no longer be here to see the full impact of the advice she gave Cyrus, but her influence is still visible in the projects, memories and career moments she helped inspire.
FAQs
What “terrible habit” did Dolly Parton teach Miley Cyrus?
Miley Cyrus said Dolly Parton taught her to promote something she wanted before it officially existed. Cyrus used that approach when she began teasing a Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special before the project had actually been approved.
Did the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special exist when Miley Cyrus first promoted it?
No. Cyrus said she started promoting the idea before the special officially existed, using fan excitement to demonstrate to Disney that there was strong interest in the project.
How did Dolly Parton help Miley Cyrus create the Hannah Montana special?
Parton gave Cyrus the advice to promote what she wanted before it existed. Cyrus followed that advice by publicly discussing a potential anniversary special and sharing fan reactions with Disney.
When did Dolly Parton die?
Dolly Parton died on August 25, 2026, at age 80. Her death was announced by her nephew Bryan Seaver.
What was Dolly Parton’s connection to Hannah Montana?
Parton played Aunt Dolly, Miley Stewart’s godmother, in three episodes of Hannah Montana. She was also Cyrus’ real-life godmother.
When did the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special premiere?
The special premiered on Disney+ and Hulu on March 24, 2026, marking 20 years since the original Hannah Montana series premiered.
Published by HOLR Magazine