Miley Cyrus apologizes to Mickey Mouse for her “Malfunction” era
Miley Cyrus poked fun at her crazy post-Disney Channel days while being honoured Sunday at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California.
The “Flowers” singer was emotional as she became the youngest person to earn the title of Disney Legend, a distinction given to those who have made a lasting impact on the world of Walt Disney Studios.
In her acceptance speech, Cyrus recalled how she went from a child TV star to a boundary-pushing pop diva, taking time to apologize for rebelling against her wholesome Disney persona after her hit show, “Hannah Montana,” ended in 2011, when she was 19.
Recalling her earliest memories with Disney, Cyrus said, “In 2005, Disney was on a mission to rebuild and reimagine the company. That’s why they hired Bob Iger and me.”
“I remember this clearly because it was during the audition process for ‘Hannah Montana,’” she said. “There was a rumour going around the Disney office in Burbank that all of us Disney kids were created.”
Miley Cyrus laughed that she “wasn’t created in a lab,” but said if she was, something must have gone wrong around the time of her 2013 album, “Bangerz,” when she transformed from a sugary-sweet child actress to a happy, twerking party girl.
“There must have been a glitch in the system that caused me to malfunction sometime between the years of 2013 and 2016,” she said, laughing. “Sorry, Mickey.
Miley Cyrus’ Shift From Hannah Montana To Bold Path Causes Stir Among Fans
Following her run on Disney Channel as the star of Hannah Montana, Cyrus sought to reinvent her image and caused a stir in a series of performances and public appearances. In 2013, she performed at the MTV Video Music Awards, where she twerked with Robin Thicke during a rendition of “Blurred Lines.”
The performance led The Hollywood Reporter to call Cyrus “a Disney star gone bad,” while comedian Joan Rivers joked that she needed “an antibiotic” after seeing the risqué display.
In the years since Miley Cyrus has commented on how the performance sparked a major shift in her personal life and the world of pop culture.
In 2018, the “Malibu” singer told Wonderland magazine, “Not only did it change the culture, but my life and career were forever changed. It inspired me to use my platform for something much bigger.”
After that fateful twerking session, Cyrus became a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community and homeless people through her Happy Hippie Foundation.