Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso, two core cast members of the hit Disney Channel show Hannah Montana, were absent from the 20th Anniversary Special that premiered on 24 March. Osment, who played Lilly Truscott, explained on Instagram that she was unable to attend due to filming commitments for her current CBS sitcom Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
In a video posted on 23 March, Osment appeared with her co-star Montana Jordan, sending well-wishes to the special. She wrote in the caption that Hannah Montana “changed my life” and taught her “discipline, patience, timing, and respect.” She expressed gratitude to fans, saying, “Thank you for letting me into your living rooms and I hope to still be there many years from now.”
Mitchel Musso, who played Oliver Oken, also took to Instagram to honour the show’s legacy, sharing throwback photos and writing that the series “wrapped around my heart and never really let go.” He thanked the cast and crew, including Miley Cyrus, Emily Osment, Jason Earles, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Moisés Arias, for becoming his family. Musso did not explicitly state why he missed the reunion, but it is presumed he had other commitments.
Jason Earles, who played Jackson Stewart, was also absent from the special but attended the premiere alongside other original cast members such as Miley Cyrus, Moisés Arias, Shanica Knowles, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, and Cody Linley. The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special is now available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
