Mitchel Musso said he declined to take part in the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” because, in his view, it wasn’t presented “the right way,” arguing that the cast deserved an episode or a movie instead.
Mitchel Musso didn’t just miss Disney’s “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special.” He says he was actively disappointed by how it came together.
In a June 24 episode of the “Joe Vulpis Podcast. ” Musso laid out why he didn’t participate in the show’s 20th-anniversary celebration. The tone was personal and blunt: “it wasn’t the right thing.” He described the pull of the moment—the “kid” in him still expecting everyone back on set—but said the opportunity didn’t line up the way he felt it should.
“The kid in me was banking on it, like ‘I can’t wait for us to all be on set again,’ and it just didn’t work out that way,” Musso said.
Musso also suggested that a reunion episode—or even something bigger like a movie—would have fit the cast’s long absence better than what the special ultimately delivered. He pointed to the reality of production and how quickly a set could be recreated or dressed if the goal was to return viewers to the world they knew.
“Yeah, like do an episode. Do the show. The set’s still there,” Musso said. “Or it can be dressed very quick with somebody who’s a pro and they did that for that, and just did it differently and it is what it is.”
He played Oliver Oken. one of Miley Stewart’s best friends. throughout the show’s first three seasons. appearing in some guest spots. and he also starred in “Hannah Montana: The Movie.” That history sits behind his frustration now. as “Hannah Montana” celebrates its 20th anniversary with a new special.
The “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” is billed as a “love letter to fans. filled with heartfelt nostalgia.” It includes an in-depth interview with Miley Cyrus. a behind-the-scenes look at Miley’s archival collection. familiar faces and surprise guests. and a special musical performance by Hannah herself.
Still, Musso said the timing and the shape of the celebration didn’t match what the fans—or the cast—had waited for. He framed it as a decade-long expectation, not a small detour.
Musso explained that, for him, the special would have been “way more important” if it had been “an episode, or a movie, whatever.” He said he was already occupied with work that he viewed as more urgent at the time.
“It would have been everything,” Musso said. “[I would have] dropped everything. Eat, breathe, sleep it. There. I’m there early. I’m flying in three days. I’m going to be there. It didn’t turn out that way.”
“But like I said, it wasn’t presented correctly. And I’ve been waiting ten years. The people they say 20. My break’s been ten. So, it’s too long of a wait to do it in a way that isn’t even close, in my opinion, correct,” he added.
Musso and Emily Osment—who played Lilly Truscott, his on-screen girlfriend—were both absent from the March 24 premiere. Both actors cited scheduling conflicts.
For Cyrus, the celebration includes gratitude to Disney for taking a chance on her as the show marked its milestone. In the special, she also shared memories connected to her time on the series, including her “casting journey,” as Cyrus thanked Disney for the opportunity.
Musso’s criticism lands on a central tension: the special is meant to deliver nostalgia and recognition, but he argues it misses the form that would have felt right after so much time away—especially for a cast member who says he was ready, at least in his mind, to return fully.
Mitchel Musso Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Joe Vulpis Podcast Miley Cyrus Emily Osment Disney Hannah Montana