Word: channeling
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...embodies every pre-teen's fantasy: a cool 13-year-old with great hair and a secret life as a pop star. But to executives at the Disney Channel, Miley Cyrus is more of a dream come true...
...Cyrus stars as Miley Stewart in Hannah Montana, the cable channel's live-action show about a girl who leads a normal life by day but at night dons a blonde wig to perform as a famous pop star (Hannah). It's a role that has turned Cyrus into a real-life TV star and Hannah Montana into a monster hit among a generation of tweens too young for Degrassi and too old for Dora the Explorer. "In Miley we found the perfect girl to carry off this part," says executive producer Michael Poryes. "She has a kind of strength...
...Since its March debut - which drew 54 million viewers and was the biggest premiere in the cable channel's 23-year history - Hannah Montana has become the most popular show on television among pre-teen girls ages 9 to 14 and is consistently watched by more kids ages 6 to 11 than any other TV series. The Hannah Montana soundtrack, which features Cyrus performing eight songs, debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 chart several weeks ago and is still holding its own in the top five. There are Hannah Montana fan clubs, web sites, mobile phone clips...
...formula starts with a simple concept: an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation. "It has to have an aspirational quality," explains Disney Channel Worldwide President Rich Ross. The idea for a show about a teen girl leading a double life as a pop star had the right fantasy quotient for the target audience. "Celebrity is huge for kids because of the sense of empowerment. Especially with all the reality shows now on TV," says executive producer Steven Peterman...
...most important part, which Disney has perfected, is identifying and developing unknown talent to star in its shows. Like other Disney Channel series, Hannah Montana was cast-contingent when the network green-lighted the concept in 2005. The search for the right actress to play Miley Stewart - Hannah Montana by night - went on for a year. The young woman had to be appealing and cool for tweens but also parent-friendly. Producers say they want actors who can balance school with the demands of a TV show - and not end up in the tabloids. She also had to have musical...