The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special arrived on Disney+ Tuesday, but not everyone in the original cast was accounted for.
Emily Osment — who played Miley Cyrus’s character Miley Stewart’s best friend Lilly Truscott in the Disney sitcom — did not appear in the special.
However, Osment, 34, explained her absence in a video shared to Instagram on Monday, in which she thanked fans of the show for their support over the years.
“We are at the Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage set, and that’s why I was not able to be a part of the 20-year reunion, because we are here shooting our show,” Osment said in the video, alongside her Georgie and Mandy co-star Montana Jordan.
“But I wanted to say hello and thank you to everybody that has stuck by us for all these years. I’m so grateful that you guys all still love the show. I’m so proud to be a part of it… We appreciate you. Lots of love.”
Osment plays the titular Mandy McAllister in the CBS series, which is a direct sequel to Young Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory franchise.
In the caption of her post, Osment added: “Hannah Montana changed my life, it gave me a lifelong respect for this medium of comedy, it taught me discipline, patience, timing and respect working in an adult space so young.
“I can’t tell you what your sweet messages mean to me and how lucky I feel to have been apart of this once in a generation goliath of a television show,” she continued. “Thank you for letting me into your living rooms and I hope to still be there many years from now.”
Mitchel Musso — who played Miley’s friend and Lilly’s boyfriend, Oliver Oken, in Hannah Montana — also did not appear in the reunion special.
Sharing a series of throwback photos on Instagram, Musso wrote: “Hannah Montana wrapped around my heart and never really let go. We literally grew up with ya’ll — long days, crazy schedules, learning lines, cracking up between takes, and figuring out life while the cameras rolled. It taught me so many wonderful values, but the most important ‘to me’ is that laughter can get you through the tough days.
“That confidence still sticks with me every single day. To all of you who grew up right alongside us… your friends were our friends too. Like my Lillypop said on her post, so many of you building families of your own and sharing this wonderful story with your kids is a gift beyond words. It’s been the coolest part of HM.
“Miley, Emily, Jason, Billy Ray, Moises, and the whole crew at Disney — you became my family through all the real, messy, beautiful moments. Thank you for believing in a goofy kid from Texas who wore some questionable outfits with a haircut like that. To all of you, thank you for welcoming me into your homes and hearts 20 years ago and still allowing me to be here today. I’m honored we get to share all of this together.”
He did not clarify the reason for his absence from the special, though Musso’s Disney career was cut short after a 2013 DUI arrest.
Osment commented on Musso’s post: “Love you so so much [heart emoji].”
The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special is out now on Disney+.
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