Why Emily Osment Isn't Part of ‘Hannah Montana’ 20th Anniversary Reunion
Mitchel Musso is waiting for Disney to be asking for him one day—but on his terms.
Nearly four months after Miley Cyrus revisited the world of Hannah Montana in honor of the series’ 20th anniversary, her former costar—who rounded out the series’ main friend trio alongside Cyrus and Emily Osment—explained why he decided to skip the event.
“Of course they asked me,” Musso said during the June 24 episode of The Joe Vulpis podcast. “It wasn’t presented correctly.”
For Musso, a reunion would’ve only been worth it if he had been asked to return as his Hannah Montana character Oliver Oken for a scripted production.
“The kid in me was banking on it,” Musso admitted. “Do an episode. Do a show. The set is still there. They just did it differently and it is what it is, but it wasn’t the right thing.”
And when it came time for the reunion this past March, Musso admitted, “I was busy doing something that was more important.”
However, if the reunion had been what Musso envisioned, he reasoned that it would’ve been “way more important” than whatever he had going on.
“It would've been everything,” he said. “I would’ve dropped everything—eat, breathe, sleep. I’m flying in early. I’m gonna be there. It didn’t turn out that way.”
Since Musso—who went on to star in Disney’s Pair of Kings on top of voice acting in Phineas and Ferb when Hannah Montana ended in 2011—noted he’d been waiting 10 years to return to Disney, he didn’t find the concept for the reunion alluring.
“It’s too long of a wait,” he reasoned, “To do it in a way that isn’t even close to, in my opinion, correct.”
Disney
Indeed, Musso had no interest in simply walking down memory lane.
“I’d want to feel the part again,” he explained. “I’d want to put on that little polo again and wear the plaid shorts with the goofy shoes—I’d want to play the character.”
Meanwhile, Musso wasn’t the only Hannah Montana star to miss out on the 20th anniversary special. While Cyrus was joined by Alex Cooper for a brief interview as well as her mom Tish Cyrus and dad Billy Ray Cyrus—who played her dad on the series—Osment as well as other main cast members Jason Earles and Moisés Arias did not make an appearance.
For Osment’s part, it was a matter of scheduling. The 34-year-old shared she was on set of her series Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, so was not able to be present for the taping itself or the March 23 premiere.
Still, Osment emphasized she was holding on tight to the Hannah Montana life.
“I'm so proud to be a part of it,” Osment said in an Instagram video in March. “So grateful that you guys all still love this show.”
As she put it, “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.”
For a look at the Hannah Montana cast and where they are now, keep reading…
DISNEY CHANNEL/ISABELLA VOSMIKOVA/Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock
Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana / Miley Stewart)
The star of the show is still a total rock star. Since performing as Hannah Montana, she dropped Bangerz (2013), Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz (2015), Younger Now (2017) Plastic Hearts (2020), Endless Summer Vacation (2023) and Something Beautiful (2025). She also won her first Grammy in 2023 for her hit "Flowers."
After splitting from Last Song costar Liam Hemsworth, she went on to date Cody Simpson, Kaitlynn Carter. She is now engaged to Maxx Morando.
Jesse Grant/WireImage/Dan MacMedan/Getty Image
Emily Osment (Lilly Truscott)
After Hannah Montana ended its four-season run in 2011, the actress went on to voice characters on animated programs like Family Guy and Rainbow Brite and appear on shows such as Mom, Young & Hungry, Cleaners and The Kominsky Method. Now, she stars in Geogie & Mandy's First Marriage on CBS.
Jesse Grant/WireImage/REX/Shutterstock
Jason Earles (Jackson Stewart)
After Hannah Montana ended, the actor went on to star on shows such as Disney XD's Kickin' It, WTH: Welcome to Howler and Hotel Du Loone. In 2017, he married Katie Drysen.
Dean Hendler/Disney Channel via Getty Images; Michael Bezjian/Getty Images
Mitchel Musso (Oliver Oken)
The actor appeared on the show Pair of Kings and hosted PrankStars after Hannah Montana ended. In 2011, at age 20, he was arrested for a DUI, after which his character was written off the former show and the latter was canceled. In recent years, he has continued to act and has portrayed characters on the animated programs Phineas and Ferb and Milo Murphy's Law.
Jaimie Trueblood/Disney Channel/Matt Baron/REX/Shutterstock
Moises Arias (Rico)
In recent years, the actor has appeared on shows such as The Middle and Jean-Claude Van Johnson and movies such as Ben-Hur and Pitch Perfect 3. In 2020, he starred in the Pete Davidson-Judd Apatow film The King of Staten Island. Now, he stars in The Fallout.
Jeff Daly/Getty Images
Anna Maria Perez de Tagle (Ashley Dewitt)
In late 2011, she starred in the Broadway revival of Godspell. She is also a singer, opening for the Jonas Brothers Asia 2012 tour.
In recent years, she has appeared on episodes of shows such as Baby Daddy and Charmed. In November 2018, she got engaged to boyfriend Scott Kline. The two tied the knot the following June with actress Uzo Aduba serving as maid of honor.
Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage/JB Lacroix/WireImage
Shanica Knowles (Amber Addison)
After Hannah Montana ended, the actress went on to appear on shows such as Melissa & Joey, The Young and the Restless and various TV movies, such as 2018's Life-Size 2.
DISNEY CHANNEL/ERIC MCCANDLESS/Getty Images
Cody Linley (Jake Ryan)
The star finished fourth on the the seventh season of Dancing With The Stars in 2008 and released his debut album four years later. He also continued his acting career, appearing on two episodes of Melissa & Joey and in the TV movies Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens and Sharknado 5: Global Swarming.
Jesse Grant/WireImage/Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
Billy Ray Cyrus (Robby Ray Stewart)
Miley's onscreen and IRL dad continues to concentrate on his music career. In 2019, after several country hits, he earned his first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 after joining Lil Nas X on the official remix of the record-breaking smash hit "Old Town Road." In 2016 and 2017, he starred on the show Still the King.
Following a 2022 split from wife Tish Cyrus, Billy was briefly married to Australian singer Firerose. Ten months after announcing their divorce, he revealed his romance with actress Elizabeth Hurley, the pair suprising fans with a PDA-filled Easter post in April 2025.
David Livingston/Getty Images/Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Noah Cyrus
Miley's little sister appeared on six episodes of Hannah Montana. She began a music career in 2016 and released her debut single, "Make Me (Cry)." In 2018, she dated Lil Xan and they released the collaboration "Live or Die." The two broke up after a couple of months.
She got engaged to designer Pinkus in 2023.
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