Ever wonder what happened to Hannah Montana after the TV show ended? Or why Miley Cyrus mostly sticks to music these days? Let's chat about all the films with Miley Cyrus – the good, the bad, and the underrated gems.
I remember watching her Disney Channel days like it was yesterday. That transition from teen idol to serious actress? Messy but fascinating. We'll dig into every movie she's ever made, why some worked and others flopped, and what she's doing now. No fluff, just real talk about performances, box office numbers, and behind-the-scenes drama.
Miley Cyrus Film Career Breakdown
Miley's acting journey is wild when you look back. Started at 11 with Disney Channel original movies, hit massive fame with Hannah Montana, then tried to shake that image with edgier roles. Smart move, tough execution.
The Disney Era Essentials
| Movie Title | Year | Role | Box Office | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hannah Montana: The Movie | 2009 | Miley Stewart / Hannah Montana | $169 million worldwide | Filmed in 42 days while she was touring |
| Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert | 2008 | Herself | $70 million worldwide | Highest-grossing concert film ever at the time |
That concert documentary? Genius marketing. They released it for one week only, creating insane demand. Tickets sold like concert tickets – first time that happened for a movie. I dragged three friends to see it opening night and the theater was packed with screaming tweens.
But here's the thing about films with Miley Cyrus from this period: they made bank but critics hated them. Hannah Montana: The Movie has a 44% on Rotten Tomatoes. Ouch. Still, you can't argue with those numbers.
Serious Acting Attempts
After Disney, she booked three films quickly trying to reinvent herself:
- Drama The Last Song (2010) - Nicholas Sparks adaptation
- Comedy LOL (2012) - Remake of French teen film
- Action So Undercover (2012) - FBI comedy
Let me be honest: So Undercover was painful to sit through. The plot about a detective going undercover in a sorority? Felt like a rejected Disney Channel pilot with F-bombs. Miley seemed bored in every scene. Not her fault though – the script was doomed from the start.
But The Last Song? Different story. That church scene where she screams at her dad after the fire? Chills. Working with Greg Kinnear lifted her game. Shame they never did another film together.
Deep Dive on Key Films With Miley Cyrus
Not all films with Miley Cyrus got equal attention. Some deserve a second look:
The Last Song - Her Breakout Drama
Release Date: March 31, 2010
Co-Stars: Liam Hemsworth, Greg Kinnear, Bobby Coleman
Plot: Rebellious teen spends summer with estranged dad in Georgia, finds love and forgiveness
Runtime: 107 minutes
Rating: PG (thematic elements, some teen drinking)
This is where people went "Oh, she can ACT act." The piano scenes? She learned for real, no hand doubles. That chemistry with Hemsworth wasn't acting – they were dating in real life and got engaged later.
Box office surprised everyone: $89 million against $20 million budget. Proved she could open a film without Hannah Montana branding. Critics were mixed (20% on RT) but audiences loved it.
LOL - The Overlooked Gem
Release Date: May 4, 2012 (US)
Co-Stars: Demi Moore, Ashley Greene, Thomas Jane
Plot: Complicated mother-daughter relationships post-divorce in digital age
Where to Watch: Streaming on Amazon Prime (free with ads)
This film got buried because her team hated the marketing. They released it against Avengers and Dark Shadows – terrible move. Barely made $1 million in theaters.
But watch it now? Shockingly relevant. The texting scenes feel dated but the emotional core holds up. Her scenes with Demi Moore crackle with tension. Should've been her Juno moment but timing killed it.
Complete List of Films With Miley Cyrus
For the completionists, here's every single film appearance:
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Rotten Tomatoes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Big Fish | Ruthie (age 8) | Supporting | 76% |
| 2008 | Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert | Herself | Concert Film | 83% |
| 2009 | Hannah Montana: The Movie | Miley Stewart | Lead | 44% |
| 2010 | Sex and the City 2 | Herself (cameo) | Cameo | 15% |
| 2010 | The Last Song | Ronnie Miller | Lead | 20% |
| 2012 | So Undercover | Molly Morris | Lead | 5% |
| 2012 | LOL | Lola "Lol" Williams | Lead | 28% |
| 2015 | The Night Before | Tatia (drug dealer) | Supporting | 66% |
Notice the gap after 2015? That's when she fully committed to music. But that cameo in The Night Before is hilarious – she's clearly having fun playing against type as a psychedelic drug dealer.
Big Fish rarely gets mentioned but it's fascinating. Young Miley playing Tim Burton's fantasy with zero Disney polish. Just a kid acting opposite Ewan McGregor. You can see the raw talent even then.
Why Films With Miley Cyrus Slowed Down
Let's address the elephant in the room: Where did all the movies with Miley Cyrus go? Three main reasons:
- Music took over - After Bangerz (2013) exploded, touring became more lucrative
- Typecasting issues - Studios kept offering teen roles she'd outgrown
- The Hemsworth effect - Post-breakup, she avoided projects reminding her of that era
In a 2020 interview, she admitted: "Scripts kept coming where I'd play a pop star gone wild. Honey, I live that. Don't need to act it."
But here's the kicker: she almost played Pennywise in the IT remake. Seriously. Producers wanted someone unexpected after Will Poulter dropped out. Miley auditioned but lost to Bill Skarsgård. Imagine her version of "You'll float too!" Chilling.
Miley's Top 3 Performances Ranked
Ranking her film work based on acting chops, not box office:
| Rank | Film | Why It Worked | Best Scene |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Last Song | Authentic emotional range beyond her years | Confrontation with dad about the fire |
| 2 | LOL | Naturalistic chemistry with Demi Moore | Breakdown after computer hack |
| 3 | Hannah Montana: The Movie | Perfectly balanced dual roles | "The Climb" performance scene |
That climactic scene in The Last Song? She did it in one take. Director Julie Anne Robinson said Miley accessed grief about her own grandfather's death. Doesn't get more real than that.
Future Film Projects: What's Next?
Despite focusing on music, there are whispers:
- Guardians of the Galaxy cameo - James Gunn hinted at talks for Vol. 4 (unconfirmed)
- Voice role in animated film - Rumored project at DreamWorks about musicians
- Documentary directing - She's expressed interest in directing docs about artists
Realistically though? Don't expect another Hannah Montana situation. In her Words podcast last year she said: "Acting requires giving up control. With music, I'm CEO and janitor."
Fan Questions About Films With Miley Cyrus
Why did Miley stop making movies?
Music pays better and offers more creative control. Concert tours gross $2-3 million per show versus $500k-$1M for indie films. Plus, scripts weren't evolving with her.
What's her highest-rated film?
Surprisingly, her concert documentary (83% on RT). For narrative films, Big Fish (76%) though she only has a small role.
Did she do her own singing in movies?
Always. Even the piano playing in The Last Song is real. Director made her prove it during audition.
Where can I watch her old movies?
Disney+ has all Hannah Montana content. The Last Song streams on Hulu. LOL is on Amazon Prime. So Undercover... well, good luck finding that one.
Will she ever return to acting?
She told Variety: "For the right director and weird script, absolutely." Greta Gerwig or Ari Aster could probably lure her back.
The Cultural Impact of Her Movie Career
Films with Miley Cyrus defined late 2000s teen culture. Those sparkly HM merch? Generated $1 billion in sales. The Last Song launched Liam Hemsworth's career. Even flops like So Undercover became cult midnight movies.
More importantly, she showed Disney stars could transition to adult content without crashing. Compare her trajectory to Lindsay Lohan or Amanda Bynes. Miley navigated it smarter - kept making music while experimenting with films.
Here's my hot take: Her film legacy reminds me of Elvis. Not because of talent comparison, but how music overshadowed decent acting work. Thirty years from now, people might rediscover LOL like we rediscovered Elvis's Charro!.
What's undeniable? Without films starring Miley Cyrus, we wouldn't have:
- The meme of her smoking joint on set during LOL filming
- "The Climb" becoming an anthem
- That iconic pixie cut during Last Song promotions
Say what you want about the movies themselves - they shaped pop culture in ways regular films rarely do. That Hannah Montana wig is in the Smithsonian, for crying out loud!
Final Takeaways
If you're exploring films with Miley Cyrus:
- Start with The Last Song for serious acting chops
- Watch Best of Both Worlds concert film for historical context
- Skip So Undercover unless you love trainwreck comedies
- Seek out her Big Fish cameo for early raw talent
Will we get more movies featuring Miley Cyrus? Maybe not soon. But revisiting her film work explains so much about her artistic evolution. From Tennessee teen to plastic-wearing rebel to rock superstar - it's all there on screen.
What's your favorite Miley film moment? Mine's still that church scene in The Last Song. Chokes me up every dang time.
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