Here's why Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso aren't in the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special
24 March 2026, 11:38 | Updated: 27 March 2026, 06:53
Despite playing Lilly and Oliver in Hannah Montana, Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso were nowhere to be seen in the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special or the red carpet premiere.
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It's official. The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special is here - but where are Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso?
Today (March 24th), the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special premiered on Disney+ and it's every bit as iconic as fans hoped it would be. Not only does Miley perform songs like 'The Best of Both Worlds' and 'The Climb' in full Hannah Montana drag but there's also guest appearances from the likes of Selena Gomez and Chappell Roan.
However, fans were confused to see that original cast members Emily Osment (Lilly) and Mitchel Musso (Oliver) are nowhere to be seen. Not only that but neither Hannah Montana actor appeared at the red carpet premiere where beloved Hannah Montana co-stars like Jason Earles (Jackson) and Moisés Arias (Rico) reunited with Miley.
So why did Emily and Mitchell skip the red carpet premiere and the special? Here's what the stars have said about it.
Why is Emily Osment not in the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special?
In an official statement to Decider, Emily Osment's representative said: "Due to work commitments, Emily wasn’t able to be part of the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, but she sends lots of love and thanks to all the fans for always supporting!”
Emily has also taken to her Instagram to reveal that she didn't attend the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special premiere in LA because she's filming the second season of the Big Bang Theory spinoff: Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.
In a video, Emily stated: "We're at the Georgie & Mandy set, and that's why I was not able to be a part of the 20-year reunion. "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 this show. I'm so proud to be a part of it."
In a caption, she added: "Would never be where I am without you guys, working on another beautiful show I love so dearly. With all my heart, THANK YOU!"
Why is Mitchel Musso not in the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special?
Mitchel Musso hasn't explained why he wasn't part of the reunion or the premiere. However, some fans have guessed that it could be related to legal issues. In 2023, he was arrested for "public intoxication, theft (under $100), expired registration, failure to display a driver's license, and violating a promise to appear notice."
Later that year, the charges were dismissed. However, when Disney brought back Phineas and Ferb in 2025, Disney recast Mitchel's character Jeremy. Disney have never said why Mitchel was recast but some fans have speculated that it's linked to his criminal record. Mitchel has never commented on it either.
Nevertheless, Mitchel has taken to Instagram to celebrate Hannah Montana's 20th Anniversary. In a touching post, Mitchell exclaimed: "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."
Miley does also reference both Mitchell and Emily in the special. She tells host Alex Cooper that she had a crush on Mitchell when they first started working together and also says that Emily felt like a teammate.
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