Miley Cyrus Will Return To Acting On One Condition - And It's Big

Miley Cyrus is a newly-minted Grammy winner and one of the most in-demand stars in the music industry ... so would she ever act in a film or television series again? Maybe, but as she told W Magazine in a feature, there's a big and very specific caveat.

Speaking with interviewer Alex Hawgood, Cyrus, whose 2023 song "Flowers" has become her biggest hit in recent memory, discussed covering songs like "Psycho Killer" (the classic track by Talking Heads, sung by Cyrus' friend David Byrne). When Hawgood pointed out that covering a song is sort of like adopting a new persona or "musical alter ego," Cyrus responded by saying that she definitely has considered acting again, but it's complicated.

"So, I would like to act again," Cyrus told Hawgood before qualifying her answer. "But the role would really need to be right, since it's kind of hard for people to see past me and buy into a character. The character would either need to be an extension of myself, or someone—or something—with a personality that can conquer my own. I would need a character that is bigger than me." Cyrus makes a good point; her public persona is bombastic and huge in a fantastic way (much like her godmother Dolly Parton, who's mentioned frequently in the profile), but let's not forget that Cyrus became famous thanks to her role as a pop star in disguise.

If you're only familiar with Miley Cyrus' more recent work, it might be a little shocking to look back at her early days on the Disney Channel — where she headlined a majorly popular show about a young girl leading a double life as a normal teen and a pop star. Born to country star Billy Ray Cyrus, the younger Cyrus auditioned for the lead role in "Hannah Montana" when she was just thirteen and was initially told she was too slight and too young, but wowed the team with her pure talent; ultimately, she starred on the show (alongside her dad) as Miley Stewart, who dons a wig and performs as pop starlet Hannah Montana.

The show was an overwhelming success, but it certainly helped trapp Cyrus in a family-friendly box — and in attempt to shed her more wholesome image, Cyrus posed nude for Anne Leibovitz in 2008 and rather infamously performed at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2013 alongside Robin Thicke, delivering a performance where she mimed unspeakable acts with a foam finger. (In retrospect, the whole thing was sort of funny, but she got a lot of flack for it at the time.) These days, Cyrus is a genuinely well-respected artist, and in 2024, she hit a few new milestones in her music career.

In February of 2024, Miley Cyrus truly earned her industry "flowers," so to speak. At this year's Grammy Awards, the singer won her first two awards thanks to her 2023 single "Flowers," an anthem centered around female independence; the track took home awards for pop solo performance and record of the year. (Cyrus' album "Endless Summer Vacation" was also included in the nominees for album of the year, though she lost to Taylor Swift's juggernaut "Midnights.")

"I really wanted 'Flowers' to be a celebration of ­bravery, because I perform out of fear," Cyrus told Alex Hawgood. "I didn't always have the fear of performing that I have now. But going from spending two years alone and seeing no more than one person a day during lockdown to knowing that millions of people watch the Grammys is a big shock to the nervous system. Anyone who's ever put themselves in a position to be observed or judged is brave."

Another career breakthrough came thanks to Beyoncé and her latest album "Cowboy Carter," which features a stunning duet between the two artists titled "II Most Wanted." Apparently, Cyrus herself penned the track and was elated to share it: "Getting to write a song, not just sing, for Beyoncé was a dream come true." When it comes to her acting career, Cyrus appears to be taking a well-deserved break, though she's shown up in projects like "Black Mirror" and in a tiny role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now we just need someone to write a killer role for her that can transcend her larger-than-life personality.