Why Did Emily Osment Miss ‘Hannah Montana’ Reunion? Her Absence, Explained

Several Hannah Montana stars reunited on March 23 to celebrate the premiere of Miley Cyrus‘ Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special. Cyrus attended the premiere and posed for photos with her former costars Jason Earles (Jackson), Moises Arias (Rico), Cody Linley (Jake Ryan), Shanica Knowles (Amber), and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle (Ashley).

However, noticeably missing were Hannah’s two best friends from the show, Lilly (Emily Osment) and Oliver (Mitchel Musso). They also didn’t appear in the anniversary special, which was pre-taped and is now streaming on Disney+.

So, what gives? Scroll down for what we know about why Osment and Musso were MIA.

Why did Emily Osment miss the Hannah Montana reunion?

Osment took to Instagram to address her absence from the premiere. She shared a video from the set of her show Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, explaining that she was at work and unable to make it. The clip featured her costar Montana Jordan.

“That’s why I was not able to be part of the 20-year reunion because we are here shooting our show,” Osment said.

It’s unclear if this is the same reason she was not part of the actual special. However, the event did not feature any other cast members aside from Cyrus, her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, and a brief cameo from Selena Gomez, who played Hannah’s rival Mikayla on the show.

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A post shared by Emily Osment (@emilyosment)

In her Instagram post, Osment shared a heartfelt message to fans in the caption. “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’ve met thousands of HM fans over the years, fans that now have children watching this show and fans that literally work beside me every day, like Montana,” she wrote. “He’s seen every episode, don’t be fooled.”

Osment continued, “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. Thank you for letting me into your living rooms and I hope to still be there many years from now. Would never be where I am without you guys, working on another beautiful show I love so dearly. With all my heart, THANK YOU! ♥️ Lilly.”

Did Miley Cyrus and Emily Osment get along?

Yes, Cyrus and Osment got along for the most part, although the former admitted in her 2009 book Miles to Go that they sometimes had tension and “struggled to get along” due to “competition” between them as young actresses.

“It took us a while to get into a groove. We both needed to learn how to be sensitive to each other,” Cyrus explained. In the 20th Anniversary Special, Cyrus recalled going to Panda Express with Osment while they were working on the show as teenagers.

In a 2008 interview with Seventeen, she also had nothing but love for Osment. She referred to her co-star as a “sister,” adding, “When we first met, automatically she and I were really, really close. When we’re together we’re never quiet because there’s so much to talk about and there are so many stories. Every day it’s something new for us.”

The ladies also virtually reunited in 2020 on Instagram Live and reminisced about their Hannah Montana days.

What happened to Mitchel Musso?

Musso was also not in attendance at the premiere or in the special. He has seemingly taken a step back from acting in recent years, with his most recent role a voice actor in the 2020 film Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe.

Musso faced legal issues in August 2023 when he was arrested for public intoxication and theft in Texas after an incident at a hotel in Texas. “Upon arrival, officers contacted the complainant who advised an individual who appeared intoxicated entered the hotel, selected a bag of chips and began eating them,” a press release said. “When the subject was asked to pay for them, he became verbally abusive and left without rendering payment.”

courtesy Everett Collection

He denied the allegations against him and claimed that a “disgruntled employee, whose behavior was erratic, ripped the bag of potato chips out of my hand and started yelling at me about my attire.”

The charges against Musso were dropped in November 2023. “Thank you guys for standing with me during this time, want to thank you all for listening and being there,” he wrote on his Instagram Story. “Sry couldn’t talk about it. Had to wait til the truth came out.”

While Musso did not give a reason for his absence at the Hannah Montana reunion, he did share a message to fans on the night of the premiere. “Hannah Montana wrapped around my heart and never really let go,” he said. “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.”

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He added, “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.”

Hannah Montana: The 20th Anniversary Special, Streaming Now, Disney+