CELEBRITIES

Miley Cyrus

Credit: Lester Cohen/WireImage.com

BIO

The Disney Channel's ultimate success story, Miley Cyrus was born into a Nashville showbiz family in 1982.

Her father, Grammy-nominated country performer Billy Ray, has sold more than 20 million records and appeared on the TV series Doc from 2001-2004.

Cyrus first appeared alongside her dad on the small screen in Doc before auditioning for Hannah Montana at the age of 12, though Disney execs considered her too young for the title role. She was extended the offer two years later, and has been featured on the series since 2006.

The Hannah Montana franchise also includes film adaptations -- Hannah Montana: The Movie hit theaters in April 2009 -- as well as clothing items and music soundtracks featuring Cyrus as Hannah.

Also an accomplished musician, Cyrus released her most recent album, Breakout, in 2008, co-writing eight of the disc's 13 tracks.

Once famously linked to Nick Jonas, the two reunited after Cyrus split with underwear model Justin Gaston in June 2009 as she filmed The Last Song in Georgia. Cyrus was spotted smooching her Song costar Liam Hemsworth in Paris in December 2009. In March 2010, at the Oscars, she confirmed Hemsworth as her boyfriend. The couple called it quits in August 2010.