'Hannah Montana' 20th anniversary special leaves out key character

Hannah Montana is turning 20, and Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Tish Cyrus, and Selena Gomez are all set to celebrate in a nostalgic reunion special.

But one familiar face won’t be there: Emily Osment, who played Lilly Truscott, Miley’s best friend on the hit series.

Osment took to Instagram to clarify her absence, sharing a video from the set of her current project, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, the Young Sheldon spinoff.

“We’re at the Georgie & Mandy set, and that’s why I was not able to be a part of the 20-year reunion,” she explained, joking with co-star Montana Jordan about the milestone.

Despite missing the Disney+ special, Osment expressed deep gratitude for her time on Hannah Montana.

“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,” she wrote.

She thanked fans for their continued support, noting that many now share the show with their own children.

Her caption was signed “Lilly,” a nod to the character who helped define the series.

Osment also reflected on the enduring impact of the show.

She shared, “I can’t tell you what your sweet messages mean to me and how lucky I feel to have been a part of this once-in-a-generation goliath of a television show.”

While Miley Cyrus and Osment’s off-screen friendship has been the subject of speculation over the years, the two appeared on good terms as recently as 2020, when Osment joined Cyrus on Instagram Live for what Cyrus dubbed “the reunion of the decade.”

The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special streams March 24 on Disney+ and Hulu.