Hurricane Hannah

How Disney created a tween storm with a real fake pop star

Bob D'Amico / Disney Channel

Miley Cyrus stars as Miley Stewart / Hannah Montana on the Disney Original Series Hannah Montana .

She was born with the doubly optimistic name Destiny Hope Cyrus. Her father, achy-breaky country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, nicknamed her "Smiley," which was quickly shortened to "Miley." On her Disney Channel sitcom, she plays Miley Stewart, an ordinary girl with a secret identity: pop-superstar Hannah Montana. On Oct. 18, Cyrus--who has sold millions of very real albums--begins a concert tour, performing as Montana and as ... Miley Cyrus.

Fourteen years old, and America's biggest kids' superstar already has enough personas to fill a postmodern novel. But to Cyrus, reached by phone between tour preparation and an appearance on Ellen, the...

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