Through the years, the Disney Channel has been the home to a number of huge shows that have been able to stand the test of time. Not only have the shows been a success, but there have been a number of notable performers to come from the channel, some of which have gone on to do incredible things in the business.
Hannah Montana was a tremendous success for the network that helped turn Miley Cyrus into a mainstream star. Before Cyrus got the role of a lifetime, however, there was a popular singer who was offered the role.
Let’s take a look at which singer declined the role of Hannah Montana.
JoJo Had A Chance To Play Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana is perhaps the biggest and most popular show in the history of Disney Channel, and it wound up being the launching point for Miley Cyrus into the mainstream. Before Cyrus got the job that changed her life, the Disney Channel was looking at a few different performers for the lead role. At one point, the gig was even offered to none other than JoJo.
JoJo had made a name for herself with her powerful singing voice at a young age and was even a popular recording artist prior to being offered the role. She had a number of hits under her belt and was a proven commodity on the Billboard charts. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, the performer even had some notable acting appearances in projects like The Bernie Mac Show. JoJo, however, would turn down the role.
When speaking about turning down the gig, JoJo said, “No regrets. No regrets at all. Yeah, Disney offered me the role...But it's not really what I see for myself.”
With JoJo passing up on the role, it was time for Disney Channel to find someone new to play Hannah. Luckily, a former country star had a daughter who was ready to take one step towards stardom.
Miley Cyrus Gets The Gig
Prior to landing the role of Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus was a virtual unknown in the industry. She had done some work prior to being cast as the lead on the show, but she had yet to be featured in something that really put her over the top. That all changed once Hannah Montana debuted on Disney Channel and became a phenomenon that no one could stop.
Debuting back in 2006, Hannah Montana was a major triumph for the network, and after four seasons and 98 episodes, it was clear that Disney had something special on their hands. Not only was the show a huge hit, but the music released for the show, as well as the merchandise, made Disney a fortune. Hannah Montana: The Movie made Disney $170 million at the box office, further proving that the character was going down as a classic for the network.
Eventually, it was time for Miley Cyrus to walk away from the character to cement her own identity in the business. After years of work, Miley and Hannah were officially separated from one another, leaving the show with a lasting legacy on the Disney Channel. Recently, however, there have been some whispers about something fresh happening with the character.
Is Hannah Coming Back?
Just last year, there were some rumblings about a potential prequel show taking place on Disney+, which would undoubtedly rope in a huge audience in no time. There is no guarantee that it will happen, but considering that the streaming service is doing its best to capitalize on popular Disney properties, it makes sense that Hannah Montana would be in consideration.
When talking about a prequel, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley’s father and Hannah Montana co-star, said, “They're talking about doing a prequel, which to me, I would do that in a heartbeat. Because that means I get to get my mullet back.”
Earlier in 2021, Miley Cyrus paid tribute to the character on her social media, which got fans fired up at the potential of Miley dusting off the character for a future project or album. It remains to be seen whether or not Miley will go down this road, but if she does, then the fans that grew up with the show will be more than willing to make the record a success.
Hannah Montana was a major hit on the small screen, and had things played out differently, then JoJo would have been the one reaping the rewards of the show’s breakout success.