Destiny Hope Cyrus was born on November 23rd, 1992 in Franklin, Tennesee. She earned her nickname, Miley, as a child by being very smiley. In January 2008, she had her name legally changed to Miley Ray Cyrus (she has the same middle name her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus).
Miley began her acting career playing extras in her dad's projects. Later, she was a guest star on his TV series, "Doc," and also appeared in the film "Big Fish." She began auditioning for Disney's Hannah Montana show at the age of twelve, but the Disney executives thought she was too young for the show. However, because of Miley's persistance, she was called back for more auditions, eventually having to bring her father to audition for the role of the father on the show. Two years later, she was chosen to play the lead character, and the series has made Miley Cyrus a household name.
The Hannah Montana sountrack and Best of Both Worlds tour were huge successes, and Miley's first solo album, Breakout, has sold over 966,000 copies worldwide. Miley also became a spokesperson for Daisy Rock Guitars in 2004, and helped desing clothing for Disney's Hannah Montana fashion line in 2008. She announced in April 2008 that she is writing a book about her life and career. It is scheduled for release in 2009.
