Tish Cyrus Convinced Billy Ray into a Pay Cut for Hannah Montana, Says “Nothing else was working” after ‘Achy Breaky Heart’

Hannah Montana changed teen dramas forever and launched Miley Cyrus into stardom. Even today, the show remains a fan-favorite and gets avid viewers on Disney+. Apart from the show itself, the behind-the-scenes stories continue to entertain the fans.

Recently, Miley Cyrus’s mother, Tish Cyrus, spoke about the earlier days of the show and how she convinced her husband, Billy Ray, to take the role of Miley’s father for the show. Billy Ray eventually played the role of Robby Ray, while Miley played the role of the pop singer Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana.

Uncovering the Behind-the-scene Drama

Tish Cyrus has stirred controversy several times about Hannah Montana and how it affected her and her family. Earlier in 2011, Tish Cyrus spoke to GQ about how Hannah Montana affected her family. She said,

“It destroyed my family. I’ll tell you right now — the damn show destroyed my family.”

However, during her recent appearance at Call Her Daddy, Trish Cyrus credited Hannah Montana for not only launching her daughter but also helping her husband’s career. She stated that the show became a cultural phenomenon and succeeded beyond their expectations.

She remarked,

“Hannah Montana was just different. And I don’t think anyone could’ve ever anticipated it or thought how big it would be.”

Talking about the show, Trish Cyrus said that she pushed her husband, Billy Ray, to be a part of the show after his stardom took a dip.

“He had done ‘Achy Breaky [Heart],’ and nothing else was working,” she recalled. “And then I brought Miley out to audition for Hannah and she had gotten it. And then one of the casting directors said a joke, like, ‘Ugh, too bad we can’t afford her real dad.’ And I said, ‘Oh, maybe you can””, she added.

SUGGESTED

“That trauma really affected my voice”: A Very Personal Tragedy With Liam Hemsworth Permanently Changed Miley Cyrus’ Voice, Happened Way Before Her Ugly Divorce

Unprecedented Success of Hannah Montana

Hannah Montana played a pivotal role in launching a series of teen dramas in the early 2010s. It was Disney’s first commercial success after the 1990s musicals. The show’s success led to subsequent programs like That’s So Raven and The Suite of Zack & Cody, which eventually led to crossover episodes.

On the critical front, Hannah Montana dealt with complex themes like gender roles, life after fame, and stereotypes. Commercially, the show attracted 5.4 million viewers for its premiere and 5.7 million for its last season.

The reruns alone amassed a huge following, with the final season attracting an average of 5.05 million viewers. Apart from the show, two feature films, namely Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert and Hannah Montana: The Movie, were released in 2008 and 2009, earning $70.6 million and #169.2 million worldwide, respectively.

Hannah Montana’s Gone Bad

During the show’s shooting, Disney wanted to preserve Miley Cyrus‘s “good girl” image. However, Cyrus’s provocative image continued to hamper the show’s popularity. Apart from Tish Cyrus, Billy Ray also blamed the program for damaging his family and causing Miley Cyrus’s unpredictable nature.

Miley Cyrus has repeatedly expressed her issues with the program and her wish to restart her career as a mature artist instead of being labeled as a “Disney Mascot.” Despite having problematic relations with the show, Miley Cyrus remarked that she was proud of the work and fans she accumulated on the show.