"In my heart I was Hannah Montana"— Miley Cyrus delivers emotional speech as she becomes youngest ever Disney legend

Miley Cyrus, who played Hannah Montana in the hit Disney series, has been named the youngest ever Disney Legend at a D23 event held in Anaheim, California.

The honor made Cyrus, 31, emotional, and she visibly went teary-eyed when she was called on stage by Lainey Wilson, who presented her with the award. While introducing the Disney alum, Wilson performed the Hannah Montana classic, The Best of Both Worlds.

In her emotional speech, Miley Cyrus stated how she was always “Hannah Montana” in her heart. She said:

“I stand here still proud to have been Hannah Montana. 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.' In my heart, I was Hannah Montana and I am so proud, I stand here proud, she made my life magical.”

During her speech, she also revealed how she was not initially cast for the titular role. She also added:

"I had gotten a taste of what my life could be, and from that moment on, I did not want anything else. A little bit of everything has changed ... but at the same time, nothing has changed at all. I stand here still proud to have been Hannah Montana."

Hannah Montana aired on Disney Channel for four seasons. The first episode aired in March 2006, and the show ended in January 2011. Apart from Miley Cyrus, many other actors were part of the show, including Emily Osment, Mitchel Musso, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jason Earles, and Moisés Arias.

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Miley Cyrus made her debut in Hannah Montana at age 13

The Wrecking Ball singer rose to fame after she was cast as Hannah Montana in the show, as it was her debut show. The show was about a teenage girl who lived a double life as pop singer Hannah Montana and an ordinary girl, Miley Stewart, as she wanted to maintain living a normal life, like a usual teenager.

Cyrus was 13 when she was cast as Hannah Montana. She initially auditioned for the role of the protagonist's best friend but was asked to audition for the lead role.

The series was a massive success and paved the way for Miley Cyrus to star in Hannah Montana: The Movie in 2009 and headline the Best of Both Worlds tour in 2007.

The show became extremely popular amongst teenagers, and it received many awards and nominations like the Artios Awards, Gracie Awards, Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Youngest Artist Awards, and many more.

The Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger, also released a statement and praised Miley Cyrus for becoming the youngest Disney Legend. He said:

“To be named a Disney Legend is the highest honour our company can bestow on anyone, reserved for those whose talent and achievement have earned them an enduring place in our history.”

He continued:

“The fourteen individuals to be honoured as Disney Legends this year have each made extraordinary creative contributions across the worlds of Disney and we look forward to celebrating them at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.”

Apart from Cyrus, Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis, James L. Brooks, James Cameron, Colleen Atwood, Steve Ditko, Harrison Ford, Joe Rhode, John Williams, Martha Blanding, Mark Henn, Kelly Ripa, and Frank Oz were honored at the event.

However, the news of Miley being honored with the title of the youngest Disney legend started doing the rounds on social media. Netizens were also left ecstatic, and they started pouring in their congratulatory messages for the singer.