Tim Burton beat Disney to the punch by casting Miley Cyrus, one of their biggest stars of the 2000s, in her very first movie role. While Tim Burton frequently casting the same actors in his movies, such as Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Catherine O’Hara, is a trademark of his filmography, his movies have also provided various breakout roles and early appearances for major Hollywood stars. In addition to notably casting Winona Ryder in her breakout role in Beetlejuice, Burton directed future star Miley Cyrus in her film debut.
While Miley Cyrus is best known for her hit solo music career, she initially rose to fame on Disney Channel for her starring role as Hannah Montana/Miley Stewart in the TV show Hannah Montana. Cyrus was among Disney’s biggest teen stars in the late-2000s, with her success on the Disney Channel show eventually leading to various movie roles for the singer/actress. However, while her career skyrocketed under Disney, it was Tim Burton who gave Miley Cyrus her first movie role – three years before the premiere of Hannah Montana.
Miley Cyrus’ Movie Debut Was As Ruthie In Tim Burton’s Big Fish
While she previously appeared in three episodes of her father Billy Ray Cyrus’ TV show Doc between 2001 and 2003, Miley Cyrus’ first movie role was as Ruthie in Tim Burton’s 2003 movie Big Fish. Proving how early into her career the role arrived, she was still credited under her birth name, Destiny Cyrus, in the Ewan McGregor-starring fantasy movie. At the time of filming Big Fish, Cyrus was only 10 years old, with her very next acting credit being for Hannah Montana in 2006.
Cyrus’ appearance in Tim Burton’s critically acclaimed movie is very brief, but her character is involved in an important backstory for the main character. Ruthie is featured in Big Fish‘s flashback scenes where 10-year-old Edward Bloom and his friends hunt for the Witch’s eye back in his hometown. As the only girl featured in the hunt, Miley Cyrus stands out in the short sequence, and she even gets to say a few lines. Unfortunately, however, Miley Cyrus and Tim Burton have yet to collaborate again over the past 21 years, despite their close Disney associations.
All 7 Tim Burton Movies Based On Books, Ranked
Several of eccentric film director Tim Burton’s movies were based on books, this is a run-through of all of them, ranked from worst to best.
Disney Didn’t Cast Miley Cyrus In A Movie For Another 5 Years After Big Fish
Though Tim Burton has made movies with Disney since beginning his career there as an animator in the early 1980s, Big Fish was distributed by Sony in 2003. As such, excluding the filmed version of her 2008 Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus concert, it wouldn’t be another five years until Miley Cyrus was cast for a big Disney movie. Her first official Disney movie role was in the 2008 animated movie Bolt, in which she voiced the lead human character, Penny. The movie’s success ushered in a new wave of hit Disney animated movies, which included films like Tangled and Frozen.
