AI image of Miley Cyrus goes viral as fans gear up for Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special

Hannah Montana fans are being fooled by a new AI image of Miley Cyrus ahead of the TV show’s one-time anniversary special. But can you spot the difference?

For one night and one night only, Hannah Montana is back after 20 years off the air.

Fans, who are now significantly older than they were when Hannah Montana was originally released, are being hit with all the tricks in the marketing book ahead of the special’s release on March 24th, 2026.

Miley Cyrus, who originally played Hannah in the TV series, has been promoting the special on Instagram, featuring various images from the shoot, including an updated version of the iconic Hannah Montana cover photo.

However, an almost identical version of the cover photo has been circulating on social media, prompting confusion and chaos over which is the authentic photo.

The image, which received over 13 million views on X, shows a side-by-side of the original poster and the “updated” one, which shows Cyrus doing the same “shhh” pose.

But the version flying around X isn’t legitimate – it was created using AI, according to X’s community notes, which allows users to tag images to add context.

Yet, the image fooled a lot of people, as it is very similar to the one Cyrus reposted on her Instagram.

“The nostalgia hit me like a truck with this one,” said one unassuming X user.

While certain fans were happy, others asked the question, “Did they even try?” presumably referring to production and their lack of ingenuity surrounding the special’s featured image.

Yet people still believed that this was the legitimate image from the 20th anniversary special.

Users didn’t seem to question whether the image was AI-generated despite Hannah Montana’s eye colour change and Cyrus’s lack of hand tattoos.

The AI-generated photo didn’t stop users from becoming nostalgic as many people remembered fond childhood memories of watching Hannah Montana on Disney Channel.

Cyrus will return as the “best of both worlds” star, featuring other familiar faces, including her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, and her mother, Tish.

The special will feature never-before-aired archival footage, reactions to the set, and some of the Hannah Montana Hall of Fame moments.

The 20th anniversary episode will be filmed in front of a live studio audience and will feature an interview with Cyrus, hosted by podcaster Alex Cooper, Disney said.

“The conversation will offer an intimate look at the creation of one of pop culture’s most iconic characters and the lasting impact the show and character have had on fans around the world.”

Cyrus said that Hannah Montana will “always be a part of who I am,” and this revival is a way of thanking fans who have stood by the Grammy award winner for the past 20 years.

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