Is Miley Cyrus Too Young for 'Sex'?

By Erin Carlson Posted Oct 21st 2009 02:00PM

Miley Cyrus, "Sex and the City" star? Upon hearing that the Disney Channel teen queen will make a cameo in the movie sequel to the R-rated franchise, we had to wonder: Was Miley making the right decision?

PopEater talked to several industry experts about the 16-year-old's role in the film and what it means for her career. Click for more.

Granted, Miley's image is no longer that of a squeaky-clean Disney princess. While "Hannah Montana" made her a role model for gazillions of tween girls, the 16-year-old megastar has strayed from that mother-approved aura of wholesomeness with a slew of PR disasters: There was the scandalous Vanity Fair portrait, in which she revealed her bare back while swaddled in a bed sheet; her relationship with an older model, Justin Gaston; the racy photos that leaked online after hackers invaded her cell phone. Recently, she raised eyebrows at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards for performing her hit song "Party In the U.S.A." along a dance pole, of all things.

Yet, Miley -- who turns 17 next month -- has managed to transcend the hoopla with her dignity intact and ever-growing success. For those banking on a "True Hollywood Story" downward spiral, consider this: The outspoken non-Twitterer has a No. 1 single, the feel-good pop anthem "Party In the U.S.A"; she's back on tour playing to sellout crowds; and her acting career is heating up thanks to a starring role in the upcoming drama "The Last Song," written especially for her by Nicholas Sparks. (She plays, go figure, a rebellious teenager.)

With everything she's got going on, a brief appearance in "SATC" seems like a small thing, something exciting to check off her list as she expands her entertainment empire. Plus, as Miley told Vanity Fair last year, it's her "favorite show."

"It's a fun wink-wink cameo," says Carissa Rosenberg, entertainment director at Seventeen magazine. "Millions of women are gonna have their eyeballs on her--and why not?"

In her scene, filmed Friday in Manhattan, Miley reportedly plays herself and shows up to a movie premiere sporting the same strapless gold dress as Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall); according to Us Weekly, this potential red-carpet faux pas forces Anthony (Mario Cantone) to quip, "Mother of god. She is wearing the same dress as Hannah Montana."

As Rosenberg sees it, Miley has been graduating from her Disney Channel alter ego for some time and stands no chance of alienating her fans with a guest role in the sequel to the "SATC" movie, which did gangbusters at the box office in summer 2008.

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Miley Cyrus Pics

Miley Cyrus hits the set of Sex In The City in NYC with Kim Cattrall Oct 16, 2009 X17online.com exclusive

T/X17online.com

"Any girl would die to be on `Sex And the City," she says of the iconic HBO series-turned-global phenomenon.

This is a step forward in her career, says Ian Drew, editor-at-large of Us Weekly.

"It's absolutely a great move," Drew says. "Everybody wants a cameo. Everybody wants to be in that movie."

(Indeed, word is Penelope Cruz and Liza Minnelli will also make appearances).

Drew credits Miley's parents (her dad is "Hannah Montana" co-star and country crooner Billy Ray Cyrus) with supporting her as she navigates Hollywood and makes smart choices.

"She's gotta grow up sometime," says Drew, who insists Miley must continue to take on more mature acting roles to break out of the child-star mold.

Branding expert Charlie Walk says Miley appearing in "SATC" allows Miley to reach out to a wider demographic, which is also what she's accomplishing with ageless, crossover songs like "The Climb," which topped the adult contemporary charts.

"You can't look at Miley Cyrus as a Disney artist anymore," says Walk, CEO of the entertainment company CWE Media. "You need to look at her as Miley Cyrus Incorporated."

Walk calls Miley's career momentum a "natural evolution" that speaks to the power of her brand: aspirational yet accessible and down to earth.

Says Walk, "If you are Miley Cyrus fan, you feel she's talking with you, not at you. A whole 'nother thing's happening: She's being accepted."

Tags: Kim Cattrall, KimCattrall, miley cyrus, MileyCyrus, sex and the city, sex and the city 2, SexAndTheCity, SexAndTheCity2

Comments

(287)

Wednesday 21 October

By Pepper

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

True, many young people lose their virginity at 16 but not many of them are role models for millions of young girls. Besides, Ms. Cyrus claims to be a born-again Christian, which gives her an even bigger rep to live up to!

By rob

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

your black arent you

By mandee

Vote down Vote up Report this

I totally agree, these ppl make such a big deal. She is her own person she is going to do what she wants to do and also why does the world care what a 16 year old girl is doing anyways?

By Myka

If you want people to take your comment seriously, maybe you should learn to spell and write in complete sentences.

Thursday 22 October

By ManiPadmaHum

It really has nothing to do with you. And Miley did not decide to become a role model. She is an actress and not pretending to be the perfect teenager. The people who decided to make her a role model are the ones at fault, not her. It is her body and her life. Her parents might have some business with her sexual behavior, but no one else does. Mind your own business and decide who the role models should be for your kids. Just don't join the crowd and say, because they say she is a role model she has to be a role model.

By tj

Miley looks like a Pekingese dog.

By SwingingDick

whatever she wants is OK

By Polly

No wonder teenage stars go bad because they always have to listen to people like you tell them how to act. God - she's going to be 17, she's not a little girl anymore, let her grown up and do what she wants. At least shes not on drugs and sounds to be like she's got her head on right not like so many of these stars nowadays getting into trouble or breaking the law!!

By Johnny 5

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Who cares what she does. It does not effect my life at all so she could star in it as far as I care.

By Don

I wouldn't ever say anything about someone wanting to make a living at something. She got everything giving to her on a platter,but some people are lucky that way. But she is only 16 years old and not a woman yet. She is only famous because of all the people that support her and she has to realize that. I don't care for people that are hung up on themselves and think they are better than anyone else. When you become famous it goes to their heads and she is one that does that. She should stay humble and think if it wasn't for her fans she would be a simple girl in school out looking for a job like most of us do.

By Thinker

Just think where Brittany Spears would be today if she chose to refrain from such vices until she was married...hmmmmm...the world will never know. Miss Cyrus will have a much fuller happier life if she chooses to resist the tempation and waits until she is married. Choose wisely

By Emme

Well if it is OK with her parents,our opinion doesn't count anyway, right? If she can get away with some 'grown-up' stuff with her parents, I guess it is OK. Let's not question their parenting skills. If they want to use their daughter as an investment... well, it is up to them. Who are we to judge. What could be ewww and yuck to some folks could be yummy to some!

By Mike

Her old man will put her out there for anything he can get. She looks like a storm door was closed on her face and everyone is "ga ga" over her. I don't get it.

Look I'm not a Miley Cyrus fan or anything but The media is DUMB, just because she is a teenager in this film does not mean this a bad move on Miley Cyrus's part, I think its great for her, it's not like the shows and the movie are so highly inappropriate she shouldn't have a cameo. As usual the media wants to make a big deal of Miley Cyrus, just get over it already. She is a teenager who is an actress and singer so she is going to be in rated R movies, and its not like she has a lead role where she is nude in this film anyways. if they think like that then i guess the children shouldn't be in the movie either

By mintrubble71

Just keep them all mighty dollars flowing and who gives a sh*t?

By Jeff

Let's see, all these self righteous people who claim to be christians are appalled by this appearance, but yet they are all supportive of Sarah Palin and her underage 15 & 16 year old girls having sex in the house and making babies at age 16 with adult men. Nice priorities.

By Lyn

Too Young.... are you kidding me?? She gyrates on stripper poles.. she should fit right in!!

By dexturner2007

Hater? Why do I hate her because I made a comment on her, a public figure? Isn't that exactly what they want, and exactly what blogs are for??? And seriously, you ask me why I care then look at the same blog I did, and cyou ommented at least four times! Why do YOU care? LOL!

By Erin

I feel so bad for this girl! She can't do a thing without getting negative press. Next thing we are going to see is "Miley Cyrus visited a Starbucks - Is she too Young for Coffee?!"

Miley will be 17 next month. To SEE a rated R film, you have to be atleast 17. So the public's logic is, it's alright if she goes to see the movie, but heaven forbid she have a cameo in one.

Furthermore, for those so concerned that the little kid fans that love her are going to want to see this movie now here's a message for the parents: TELL THEM NO. It is after all sex and the city and it's your responsibility to tell them that Hannah Montana is a fictional disney character and Miley Cyrus is a professional 17 year old actress who's work isn't always going to target a younger audience.

That said - leave the poor girl alone already!

By henryjobs

What she does with her body is her business. As for her acting, she should do a cameo in the adaptation of the book SILLY LITTLE RICH GIRL because there's a character loosely based on her.

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