Back in 2008, Miley Cyrus scandalized many of her fans by posing for Vanity Fair at age 15 wrapped in a sheet that exposed her bare back. Soon afterward, she apologized for the shot, taken by Annie Liebovitz — but revoked the apology 10 years later. Now she’s dishing in her Used To Be Young TikTok series about what happened behind the scenes of that fateful shoot.
Miley’s apology at the time read, “I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be ‘artistic,’ and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed.”
The idea was that Miley had somehow been pressured into posing for the image. But as she explains now, her whole family was there with her, cheering her on.
“My little sister Noah was sitting on Annie’s lap, and actually pushing the button of the camera, taking the pictures,” Miley says. “My family was on set. And this was the first time I ever wore red lipstick, because [the makeup artist] … thought that it would be another element that would divide me from Hannah Montana.”
“This image of me is a complete opposite of the bubblegum pop star that I had been known for being,” she notes. “And that’s what was so upsetting. But really, really brilliant choices, looking back now, from those people.”
In another episode of the series, Miley runs down a typical day’s schedule in her life as a 12- or 13-year-old: It started at 5:30 a.m., and kept her going with endless interviews and photoshoots until 7:30 p.m.
“So I do think this girl deserves a little Endless Summer Vacation!” Miley comments, referring to the title of her latest album. Her mom, Tish, agrees off camera: “Me too, honey.”
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