Former Disney star Miley Cyrus apologizes to Mickey Mouse for her 'malfunction' during bad-girl era

Miley Cyrus has officially achieved the best of both worlds.

After winning her first Grammy Award earlier this year, the singer returned to her roots on Sunday at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, where she was named the youngest ever Disney Legend. The ceremony, which honors individuals who have significantly influenced Walt Disney Studios, included a montage of her work and a performance from Lainey Wilson, who sang “The Best of Both Worlds” from Cyrus’ hit Disney Channel series, Hannah Montana. 

When Cyrus finally took to the stage, she quickly became emotional, and even a little apologetic about her controversial post-Disney rebranding.

“I’m gonna let everybody get in on a little Disney Legend secret. I’m the one that tells you what you’re not supposed to know,” she told to the crowd. “And what I want to say is that legends get scared, too. I’m scared right now, but the difference is we do it anyway — and all of you can do that every single day. It’s legendary to be afraid, and do it anyway.”

From there, the “Flowers” singer reflected on her tenure at the network. “In 2005, Disney was on a mission to rebuild and reimagine the company. That’s why they hired Bob Iger, and me,” she laughed. “I remember this clearly because it was during the auditioning process of Hannah Montana. There was a buzz in that Burbank Disney office where it’s rumored that they create all of us Disney Kids.”

She joked, "I definitely wasn’t created in a lab and if I was there must've been a bug in the system which caused me to malfunction somewhere between the years of 2013 and ‘16… Sorry Mickey.”

Cyrus famously joined singer Robin Thicke on stage at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, where she rocked a skimpy outfit and twerked to his controversial tune, “Blurred Lines.” The performance came as a shock to many fans, following years of Cyrus' wholesome persona as a Disney Channel star.

During her speech, Cyrus detailed the long audition process that eventually landed her the titular role of her own Disney Channel series. She also recalled playing her first concert for the show, to an audience who didn’t yet know who she was.

“In reality, I was a little girl in a blonde wig at the mall. But in my heart, I was Hannah Montana,” she said, tearing up. “And I was so proud to be.”

She added, "A little bit of everything has changed since that day. But at the same time, nothing has changed at all. I stand here still proud to have been Hannah Montana because she made Miley in so many ways. This award is dedicated to Hannah and all of her amazing loyal fans, and to everyone who has made my dream a reality.”

“To quote the legend herself, ‘This is the life,'” she added, referencing the Hannah Montana song of the same name.

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Cyrus began her House of Mouse journey as the tween star of Hannah Montana, which premiered in 2006. The series, which follows an ordinary girl who lives a double life as a successful pop star, ran for four seasons and eventually spawned a world tour, concert film and feature film, turning Cyrus into a household name.

During her tenure at the network, Cyrus also made guest appearances in shows including The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, The Emperor’s New School, and The Replacements, before voicing a lead character in the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ feature, Bolt.

As she indicated in her speech, Cyrus later shed the clean-cut Disney image for a more grown up persona with the release of her 2013 album, Bangerz, which included such adult-oriented hits as “We Can’t Stop,” “Wrecking Ball” and "Malibu.” Last year, she reconnected with her roots when her documentary concert special Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions) debuted on Disney+.

The star-studded Disney Legends ceremony honored Cyrus alongside Angela Bassett, James L. Brooks, James Cameron, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Williams, Harrison Ford, Frank Oz, Kelly Ripa, late Marvel comic artist Steve Ditko, Disney Parks cast member Martha Blanding, costume designer Colleen Atwood, animator Mark Henn, and imagineer Joe Rohde.