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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, February 1, 2008

So far, so good for 'Hannah Montana' star

By Marcela Isaza
Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Fans can't seem to get enough of Miley Cyrus: A 3-D film version of her sellout concert tour opens today in theaters nationwide.

DAMIAN DOVARGANES | Associated Press

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'HANNAH MONTANA'

4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, Disney Channel

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LOS ANGELES — Hannah Montana mania has conquered TV, the music industry and the touring world. Now it's set to take over the film industry — for one week.

Today theaters nationwide will show "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert," a 3-D film version of the sellout tour — and already, tickets for the film are in short supply. Clearly the "Hannah Montana" brand — which started as a Disney TV series but has branched out into multiplatinum albums and stage shows — hasn't reached saturation point.

Which is all good for the 15-year-old star behind the phenomenon, Miley Cyrus. In the past year, she's become a sensation who sells tabloids besides albums and tickets. Her fame would be hard for most adults to handle, but in a recent interview, Miley seemed to have a good grasp on how to handle the spotlight.

Q: Why do a film version of the tour in 3-D?

A: It was mostly because of the tickets and there were so many people that didn't get to come to the show. This is like better than front row. You could reach out and feel like you can touch my hand ... Also just to be able to see behind the scenes, which I think is the most clever part of anything — just getting to see what all goes into this. They can walk around knowing what real hard work it is. I mean, I think I have the easiest job.

Q: Do you think you've been able to create your own identity outside of your famous character?

A: This tour was a really good way of doing that. Just kind of breaking out and having my music and get to have not only doing press stuff all the time and being like, 'Miley Miley Miley.' You get to go out in front of 20,000 people every night and show who you really are. I think that's one of the best parts.

Q: Your tour was one of the highest-grossing tours, right up there with the Police and Justin Timberlake. What do you think about that?

A: Sometimes, "It's like wow, I really have to be good." Especially when you hear what people are doing for tickets. It's like this is their one chance to see the show and it's the one night I'm going to be here, so it has to be perfect.

Q: There was a recent controversy involving the brief use of a body double for you onstage. Can you explain why one was used at all?

A: It wasn't because I didn't want to sing or because I didn't want to dance ... it was because of time. I usually have an hour and a half to go from Hannah to Miley and I was doing this in one minute, 50 seconds. So I needed at least three minutes to go and at least get a little drink of water and like chill for a second. So when I leave the stage the vocals are done. ... So it wasn't like my vocals were still playing.

Q: Do you ever wish that you could just be a regular 15-year-old girl instead of a teen phenom?

A: I do sometimes, but then again it definitely is fun ... because having my uncle as like my bodyguard and my mom with me and my dad, working with him. My family wants the best for me, so they try to find a way so that I can still go out and hang with my friends and also have a normal life of my own.