Top 10 Stars You Forgot Were on Hannah Montana
#10: Carrie Ann Inaba
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In 2009, Carrie Ann Inaba took a break from judging dancers and took a trip to the “Hannah Montana” set to film the episode 'Papa’s Got a Brand New Friend'. Inaba plays Tina, Miley’s choreographer who is accidentally pushed out a window and put in a full-body cast. Before being fully cast-ified, Carrie was able to show off some surprisingly solid acting chops and a few killer dance moves. Judging by the numerous throwback pictures she's since posted to social media, it seems like Carrie genuinely had a blast doing the show.
#9: Jesse McCartney
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Jesse McCartney has done it all – daytime soaps, singing in a boy band, and lending his voice to cartoons and video games. He appeared as himself in season two’s 'When You Wish You Were the Star' and was met by a very enthusiastic audience, to say the least. In the episode, Jesse approaches Miley backstage and asks her out, but she shuts him down due to school obligations. This in turn leads to a “It’s a Wonderful Life”-esque storyline, as Miley wishes that she could be Hannah all the time. Jesse does a good-enough job acting, and his character helps introduce an interesting theme for the episode.
#8: Tammin Sursok
Before playing Jenna Marshall on “Pretty Little Liars,” Tammin Sursok appeared in nearly three hundred episodes of the Australian soap opera “Home and Away.” Following that was a 165-episode run on “The Young and the Restless.” Needless to say, she had done an entire lifetime’s worth of acting before turning 30. Beginning in season four, Tammin played Siena on “Hannah Montana,” Jackson’s wealthy, bikini model girlfriend. Her role is notable not only because it’s freaking Tammin Sursok, but because Siena was the fifth person to discover Miley’s secret. Our Siena has gone on to bigger and more mature things, but we can’t forget the impact she had on the show.
#7: The Rock
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Whether it’s The Rock or John Cena, it’s clear that wrestlers aren’t above having fun on a Disney show. In the episode Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get the Phone', Miley and Lilly sell an embarrassing photo of Hannah to the tabloids so Miley can buy a new phone. Unfortunately, Hannah can be seen sporting a necklace that says “Miley,” so she strikes up a deal with the magazine – an embarrassing picture of The Rock in exchange for the Hannah photo. The girls then give The Rock a very feminine makeover, and it’s every bit as hilarious as it sounds.
#6: Corbin Bleu
Corbin Bleu gained national fame in 2006 when he starred as Chad Danforth in “High School Musical.” Only two months after “High School Musical” aired on the Disney Channel for the first time, Corbin appeared as Johnny in the pilot episode of “Hannah Montana.” Johnny is both Miley’s crush and a huge fan of Hannah Montana, so you can see her predicament. He then re-appears in the second season episode 'We’re All on This Date Together' after he and Rico buy a charity dinner with Hannah. Unfortunately, things don’t go quite to her satisfaction, as she frustrates Johnny and later throws up on his feet. And with that, Johnny was out of Miley’s life, and Corbin was off to Broadway.
#5: Austin Butler
A big name in the teen biz, Butler has starred in both “The Carrie Diaries” and “The Shannara Chronicles”. But before all that goodness, he was just another uncredited actor on “Hannah Montana.” Despite his lack of credit, Austin can briefly be seen as Becca Weller’s ex-boyfriend Toby in the first season episode 'Oops! I Meddled Again'. However, he received a more substantial role in the second season episode 'My Best Friend’s Boyfriend,' where he played Lucas’s cousin Derek. Yep, same actor, two different characters! That’s just how he rolls!
#4: Kat Graham
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In 2009, Kat Graham became a household name by playing Bonnie Bennett on “The Vampire Diaries.” She remained on “The Vampire Diaries” for all eight seasons and immediately began voicing April O’Neil on Nickelodeon’s “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Before this, she was Jackson’s A+ girlfriend Allison. She appeared in three episodes of season three, although back then she was credited by her full name, Katerina Graham. Luckily for Kat, the transition between “Hannah Montana” and “The Vampire Diaries” was swift and smooth. Her final episode of “Hannah Montana” aired on September 20, 2009. “The Vampire Diaries’” pilot had aired just ten days prior.
#3: Alison Brie
Alison Brie rose to prominence playing Pete’s doting wife Trudy on “Mad Men” before she was the adorable Annie on “Community.” She is now a Golden Globe and SAG-nominated actress thanks to her stellar work on Netflix’s “GLOW.” And it all started on the Disney Channel. Aside from a short film called “Stolen Poem,” “Hannah Montana” was Alison’s first acting role. She played Nina, a young woman who claimed to be a beauty school student. However, she was actually working with Rico and ended upturning Jackson’s hair a bunch of wild and bright colors before completely shaving him bald. And somehow Brie hasn't aged a day!
#2: Selena Gomez
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For Selena Gomez, “humble beginnings” means the thirteen episodes of “Barney & Friends” she appeared in and the role of Water Park Girl in “Spy Kids 3-D.” Selena also made her way to “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody”, before finally landing at “Hannah Montana.” She played Mikayla, a fellow pop star who detests Hannah but likes Miley. Like Selena Gomez, Mikayla is both a singer and an actress, two sides of Selena that would become much more popular after her stint on “Hannah Montana.” She of course went on to star in “Wizards of Waverly Place” and is now an executive producer, designer, UNICEF ambassador, and multi-platinum pop star. It's a long way from “Barney”. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. China Anne McClain Chris Zylka Brooke Shields Larry David Karina Smirnoff
#1: The Jonas Brothers
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What better way to celebrate the Jonas Brothers’ reunion than to reminisce about their time on “Hannah Montana?” They appeared as themselves in 'Me and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas', where they become quite chummy with Robby … much to the chagrin of Miley. The episode ends with a rendition of “We Got the Party”, turning a brilliant episode into a monumental one. Seriously: the episode garnered 10.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched telecast in basic cable history. It also led to both “Camp Rock” and “Jonas,” and the Brothers subsequently toured with Miley on her Best of Both Worlds Tour. Put simply, it’s a landmark episode.
