Miley Cyrus has been a pop culture icon for nearly two decades. Though Miley’s first acting experience came in the 2001 movieDoc, it was her lead role as the titular character in Disney’s long-running seriesHannah Montanathat cemented her place as a superstar. The show saw Cyrus take on the roles of Miley Stewart and Hannah Montana, living a double life as a normal teen by day and as a pop star by night. The show gave Miley the opportunity to sing and produce music, which would be the child star’s first experience as a singer/ songwriter.
Hannah Montanahelped catapult Miley to worldwide success, however, Miley Cyrus has since reinvented herself and become a serious musician apart from her children’s television background. Miley’s 2013 album, “Bangerz”, saw the star lean into more adult themes, singing and rapping about sex, drugs, and partying. Since then, she has experimented with different genres including rap, pop, rock, and country. In January 2023, Cyrus released her hit single “Flowers” which smashedSpotify recordsand became the most streamed song in one week with over 100 million streams. Now gearing up for aMarch 2023album release, Miley Cyrus has proven to be at the forefront of the music industry and has amassed a dedicated fan base, many of whom have followed her journey since the beginning.
Yet, despite her incredible music career, it is her on-screen talents that helped introduce the world to one of the biggest stars of the last 20 years. In honor of the singer’s long history of success and stardom, we take a look back at every cameo Miley Cyrus has made in feature movies. For the purpose of this list, we have excluded any movies that see Miley as a main character or performing in concert.
7High School Musical 2 (2007)
TheHigh School Musicalfranchise is one of the most successful to come directly from theDisney Channel. Launching the careers of stars like Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron,High School Musicalfollowed a group of talented teens as they experienced the highs and lows associated with typical high school life. The second installment,High School Musical 2, follows the group on their summer vacation, where they all work together at a country club.
In the film’s final scene, the cast as well as a ton of extras, partake in a dance scene around the club’s pool. Though Miley’s character has no name and zero spoken lines, she appears for a short second on-screen as a member of the dance ensemble. Eagle-eyed fans were delighted to have spotted her in the movie upon its debut.
The film was released at the height of Miley’s Disney Channel popularity, making her the perfect surprise addition to the cast, with many Miley and HSM fans overlapping.
6Bolt (2008)
Due to the success of Miley’s hit television show, she had a close partnership with the Disney machine in the early years of her career. Another Disney film on this list, 2008’sBoltsaw Miley as the main character, Penny. The story follows a dog named Bolt, who acts alongside his owner, Penny, in a hit Hollywood TV show. However, Bolt does not realize that he is performing and assumes his wild powers and abilities are real. When Bolt is sent on a cross-country adventure, he comes to realize the harsh truth about his life.
Again during the height ofHannah Montana’s popularity,Boltallowed Miley to have her first experience with voice acting. As a child star, her girlish and chipper demeanor helped bring Penny to life and seemed to perfectly suit the character’s design. Unlike her cameo inHigh School Musical, Miley Cyrus had a ton of lines, most of which were integral to Bolt’s journey to self-discovery.
In the end, Penny herself is able to break away from the constraints Hollywood has placed upon her; the story even closely resembled that of the child star’s life, making it an ideal story for Miley to tackle.
5Sex and The City 2 (2010)
Though her cameo inSex and The City 2was short, it lent itself to an adorable scene between Miley and Kim Cattrall’s character,Samantha Jones. Based on the hit television series of the same name,Sex and The City 2was the 2010 sequel that follows main ladies Charlotte, Samantha, Carrie, and Miranda as they go on their usual posh adventures.
In one scene, Miley and Samantha are seen wearing the exact same dress on a red carpet. Though the scene starts out as awkward when the two realize they are twinning, it ends sweetly, with Miley embracing Samantha and posing together for paparazzi photos. Despite the red carpet mishap, both ladies looked stunning in their shimmering gold dresses.
At the time, Miley was discussing leaving her Disney Channel show and exploring other areas of her career.Sex and The City 2was one of her first projects outside ofHannah Montanawhere she was able to take on a moremature role. Fans were delighted to see her surprise appearance and were happy to see the star venture out into other avenues.
Related:The Most Surprising Pop Star Movie Cameos Ever, Ranked
4A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
A Very Murray Christmasfeatures tons of stars like George Clooney, Amy Poehler, and the titular actor, Bill Murray. When Bill Murray is set to host a Christmas special, many of his guests cancel due to a snowstorm, causing major stress for the entire production team. He is reluctantly convinced to continue the performance until a miracle allows the team to cancel his show. From there, he embarks on a night filled with laughs and songs that raises holiday cheer in a rather unorthodox way.
In one scene, Bill is knocked unconscious and dreams of a perfect Christmas special. The scene is set on a white backdrop, complete with backup dancers, sparkling pine trees, and of course, Miley Cyrus. Here, Miley performs classic Christmas songs alongside Bill and George Clooney, adding to the perfect illusion of the scene.
Miley makes an incredible entrance on a sleigh and is able to show off her vocals in this holiday-themed comedy.
3The Night Before (2015)
The Night Beforeis Miley’s secondChristmas Movieappearance. The film stars names like Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and follows three friends as they reunite on Christmas Eve to have a night filled with partying and drinking. When it becomes evident that the Christmas Eve tradition will soon come to an end, the three vow to go out with a bang and have the wildest Christmas Eve yet.
Here, Miley appears as herself and performs onstage with Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character, Ethan. Miley is prominent throughout the entire story however and is shown to be a fan-favorite among the trio of friends. Miley’s performance is one of the key moments at the Nutcracker Ball, an exclusive event that is known as the biggest party of the year. The two sing Miley’s hit “Wrecking Ball” to a crowd of intrigued onlookers.
Though short-lived, this cameo was one of the few where Miley was able to show off her stellar singing chops.
2Zoolander 2 (2016)
2016’sZoolander 2has a ton of Hollywood cameos; from Justin Bieber to Usher,Zoolander 2featured a star-studded cast and uses each appearance to expertly develop the plot. The movie tells the story of two competing male models named Derek and Hansel as they find themselves back in the modeling world after being labeled “too old” and “too lame.” Soon, the pair find themselves amid a wild conspiracy and must find a way to uncover the truth behind the strange happenings.
The story opens by introducing viewers to the conspiracy: someone has been murdering the world’s most beautiful and prolific celebrities. As the offed celebrities roll across the screen, fans spotted Miley Cyrus among those celebrities who had fallen victim to the killer.
Though she had no speaking lines, the inclusion of her photo and likeness was, in a strange way, a nod to Miley’s many successes and served to highlight Miley’s impact, even in the fictional world portrayed inZoolander 2.
1Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
The Marvel Cinematic Universehas given audiences a slew of mystical and action-packed stories that feature some of Hollywood’s biggest names. The second installment of the franchise,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, follows the titular gang as they venture to defeat a new enemy and struggle to remain a team as new obstacles are constantly thrown their way.
In this superhero film, Miley briefly voiced the character Mainframe, a leader of the ravages. She is seen at the funeral of the character Yondu, who had a father-son-like relationship with the leading man, Star Lord. Here, Miley only hadone line: “I miss you guys so much.”
Though the line was short, it helped convey the emotional impact of the intense scene and was a fun inclusion for Marvel fans and Miley fans alike.
