Miley Cyrus Reflects On The Highs And Lows Of Filming ‘Hannah Montana’

From child star to rockstar, Miley Cyrus has come a long way since she first began filming her breakout Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. She’s previously admitted that she “would love to” bring back the series in some capacity, but “timing is everything.” While she waits for the possibility of a Hannah Montana reboot, the singer reflects on how the show altered her life on the 15th anniversary of the series premiere.

Penning an open letter to her Hannah Montana alter ego on themed cardstock paper, Cyrus detailed the highs and lows of filming the series. Throughout the open letter, Cyrus named a few pivotal moments she experienced on set. She had her fair share of heartbreak, from losing her grandfather to getting her first period before a date. However, the series also had a positive impact on her life as she fell in love for the first time and made lifelong friends on set:

“It’s been a while. 15 years to be exact. Since the first time I slid those blonde bangs over my forehead in the best attempt to conceal my identity. Then slipped into a puke pink terry cloth robe with a bedazzled HM over the [heart]. I didn’t know then… that is where you would live forever. Not just in mine but millions of people around the world. Although you are considered to be an ‘alter ego’ in reality there was a time in my life when you held more of my identity in your love than I did in my bare hands.

You and I have been through it all together my friend. We’ve shared many firsts. A lot of lasts. Ups. Downs. Tears and laughs. I lost my Pappy, my dad’s father, while on set filming an early episode of Season 1. He wanted to hold on long enough to catch the premiere on March 24th. He passed February 28th. He did get to see the commercial that ran during High School Musical which he claimed was one of the proudest moments in his lifetime and he was a badass democratic state legislature. My heart was broken but fulfilled to know I could carry his name beside my dad’s through every credit.

I experienced falling in love for the first time in those years. Embarrassingly started my period in a pair of white capris, of course on the day a “cute guy” was cast and asked to have lunch with me. Instead I spent it in the bathroom with my mom sobbing and scrambling to find a pair of fresh denim. I gained so many friends over the 6 years spend on set.”

Read Cyrus’ full open letter below.