Why Emily Osment & Mitchel Musso Missed Hannah Montana's 20th Anniversary
Lilly and Oliver forever.
The March 23 Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special premiere brought so many of the show’s beloved stars together again, but there were a couple of notable absences. Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso, who played Miley Stewart’s best friends, Lilly and Oliver, on the Disney Channel series, did not attend the special event. Though they weren’t present, both actors did not forget about the milestone anniversary, with Osment explaining why she unfortunately had to skip the premiere.
Ahead of the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special event, Osment posted a video to Instagram with her Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage co-star Montana Jordan. “We’re at the Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage set, and that’s why I was not able to be a part of the 20-year reunion, because we are here shooting our show,” Osment explained. “But I wanted to say hello, and thank you to everybody that has stuck by us all these years. I’m so grateful that you guys all still love the show. I’m so proud to be a part of it.”
She went deeper about her love for her first lead TV role in the video’s caption, which read: “Hannah Montana changed my life, it gave me a lifelong respect for this medium of comedy, it taught me discipline, patience, timing and respect working in an adult space so young. I’ve met thousands of HM fans over the years ... I can’t tell you what your sweet messages mean to me and how lucky I feel to have been a part of this once in a generation goliath of a television show. Thank you for letting me into your living rooms and I hope to still be there many years from now.”
Musso also commemorated the two-decade anniversary with a nostalgic Instagram post of his own.
“Hannah Montana wrapped around my heart and never really let go. We literally grew up with ya’ll — long days, crazy schedules, learning lines, cracking up between takes, and figuring out life while the cameras rolled. It taught me so many wonderful values, but the most important ‘to me’ is that laughter can get you through the tough days,” Musso wrote. “Miley, Emily, Jason, Billy Ray, Moises, and the whole crew at Disney — you became my family through all the real, messy, beautiful moments. Thank you for believing in a goofy kid from Texas who wore some questionable outfits with a haircut like that. To all of you, thank you for welcoming me into your homes and hearts 20 years ago and still allowing me to be here today. I’m honored we get to share all of this together.”
Musso did not explain why he wasn’t at the Disney+ premiere, but it’s likely because he’s taken a step back from Hollywood since his Disney days and now lives in Texas near his hometown.
