Miley Cyrus, Jason Earles, and More Stun at the Red Carpet of 'Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special' – Photos of How They Changed Over 20 Years

A Disney favorite returned to the spotlight with a nostalgic celebration that gave fans a brand-new reason to look twice.

Miley Cyrus and other familiar faces marked the 20th anniversary of "Hannah Montana" on March 23, 2026, as the franchise got a major new moment with "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special." The premiere event in L.A. brought some of the cast back into view, but some fans couldn't even recognize Rico Suave Jr.!

Scroll to the end to see the cast's then and now photos!

The special is now available to stream in the U.S. on Disney+ and Hulu, with international availability on Disney+, according to Variety.

It also takes Miley back to the iconic Malibu house set, including her character's famous rotating closet, while bringing in performances of "This Is The Life," "The Climb," and "The Best of Both Worlds," plus a never-before-heard original song.

Hosted by Alex Cooper, the special also includes appearances from Billy Ray Cyrus, Chappell Roan, and Selena Gomez, who reprised Alex Russo from "Wizards of Waverly Place" in 2024.

That warm, nostalgic tone carried into the celebration around the special, including the red carpet moments that gave fans a fresh look at stars they first met nearly two decades ago.

During this premiere, Miley even made a point of crediting Variety for helping make the special possible.

Sadly, not everyone tied to the show could be there, which only made the cast's presence feel more noticeable.

Emily Osment, who played Lilly before later starring on "Young Sheldon" and now "Georgie and Mandie's First Marriage," shared an Instagram video with her co-star, Montana Jordan, and explained that she could not attend the red carpet and was not part of the special because she was filming.

Mitchell Musso was also not part of this reunion, but he still leaned into the anniversary in a heartfelt way. In an Instagram post filled with throwback pictures, he reflected on what the show meant to him and to the people who grew up with it.

"Hannah Montana wrapped around my heart and never really let go," he wrote, also recalling the grueling schedules and the constant need to memorize scripts.

Even with the cameras rolling, he and his castmates found time to joke around and learn about life together. Most importantly, he discovered that laughter is the best way to handle a hard day.

Billy Ray was part of the special, though not the red carpet, and Miley spoke openly about how meaningful it was to reunite with him on set. She joked that he appeared with a fresh look "thanks to moi," before getting more serious about why fans care so much when the two of them are together.

"I'm really excited for him to be here, because I know how much our relationship means to everyone that watched this show," she said, according to E! News. She added, "I think when me and my dad are good, people, they feel better. It just feels good when the Cyruses are getting along."

It was already a nostalgia-heavy event, but it also reminded fans how much personal history still surrounds the series and the people who made it.

Miley was also asked whether a reboot could happen, and her answer suggested nobody should hold their breath. "Girl, I'm already tired. This has already been a lot," she said.

Still, the lack of a reboot plan did not stop the event from making noise. Once new photos from the carpet started circulating, the conversation quickly shifted to how some of the stars looked now, with Miley Cyrus and Moisés Arias, who played Rico, getting especially strong reactions.

Some of the comments focused on the singer's appearance. In a Reddit discussion, one person wrote, "Yeah her teeth are still the first thing I see on her face. But they were changed a bit last year ish [sic]."

Another said, "She got her cheeks and teeth back." Someone else added, "Did she undo her buccal fat removal?! However that works?? Because she looks AMAZING, her face looks so much healthier!!"

A fourth comment kept the focus on the same detail, writing, "Did she get new teeth again? [sic]."

Moisés, meanwhile, left some people just as stunned. On an Instagram post tied to the red carpet, one person asked, "Is that Rico!?"

Another wrote, "Is Rico OK?" A third admitted, "I didn't even recognize Rico 🤷‍♀️."

Take a look at the cast of "Hannah Montana" at the anniversary celebration, and see how different they look now compared to the early Disney days:

Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) — Then

Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) — Now

Shanica Knowles (Amber Addison) — Then

Shanica Knowles (Amber Addison) — Now

Anna Perez de Tagle-Kline (Ashley Dewitt) — Then

Anna Perez de Tagle-Kline (Ashley Dewitt) — Now

Cody Linley (Jake Ryan) — Then

Cody Linley (Jake Ryan) — Now

Jason Earles (Jackson Stewart) — Then

Jason Earles (Jackson Stewart) — Now

Moisés Arias (Rico Suave Jr.) — Then

Moisés Arias (Rico Suave Jr.) — Now

Whole Cast