Miley Cyrus was one of the first celebrities to adapt to the new COVID-19 world order. Not long after the stay-at-home rules were implemented, the singer-actor launched “Bright Minded,” an Instagram Live talk show with a guest list that included Elton John, Demi Lovato, Kerry Washington, and Selena Gomez. . “I loved how there really was no pressure. It was as if the show ended, if the show had any technological issues, it was just about doing it for love of him, ”she says in Tuesday’s episode. Variety and the iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket”.
When asked if he was developing “Bright Minded” as a television show, Cyrus scoffs “We’ll see.”
Before the pandemic, the former “Hannah Montana” star returned to starring in an episode of the Netflix anthology series “Black Mirror.” She plays Ashley O, an apparently happy pop star who wants to stop being her main manager, her aunt Catherine (Susan Pourfar). When her aunt gives her too many pills, Ashley falls into a coma, but a fanatic (Angourie Rice) helps her wake up and break free. Cyrus is being featured for Emmy consideration in the guest actress in a drama series category.
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Variety caught up with Cyrus by Zoom from his home in the Los Angeles area.
Hi Miley, very happy to see you!
I have worn a white button twice in my entire life. Once for this and once for when I interviewed Senator Elizabeth Warren. And in the last four months I think I have washed my hair twice. Once for you and once for Sir Elton John.
What did you think when you first read the script for “Black Mirror”?
There were some obvious similarities through the character I played before that really became my life, like she wanted to explore rock and roll and change her gender. That is something that, right after “Hannah Montana”, was really important to me. The main difference for me is that I don’t have an Aunt Catherine. My mother has been my mother. I’m almost going crazy 30, and I don’t buy a light bulb for my house without asking my mother if it’s the right one. Without my parents, I bet my life would have been more like the Ashley O story. What really makes me different from Ashley is my parents and the team that my parents surround me with. Just like when I was looking for a manager, we have someone Dolly (Parton) told me would protect me. It had nothing to do with “she is going to make you a star”. It was “you will feel comfortable with your child traveling with him and he will take care of her and respect her [your] values.”
Tell me about acting like Ashley and putting on that wig.
We shot in South Africa. I really enjoyed my time. I made records and traveled around the world, but I was able to spend about a month there and record in the studios and I was able to work with some choreographers that I might not have worked with before. It was a really cool experience, being so isolated from my family and friends. I was able to really disconnect from myself, and I was really able to get into Ashley. When Ashley woke up from a coma and was totally traumatic, that was the day I lost my home in Malibu to the fires. I was able to get myself out of that trauma and use it on the scene. There were times when I had to stop and just go out there and melt completely. It was a really interesting time for me because a lot of things were falling apart in my personal life, and it was the same thing that was happening in Ashley’s life. It gave me a lot to use.
Who were some of your Ashley when you were little? Whose posters were you on your wall?
I had the weirdest hodgepodge of Britney Spears, ‘NSync, Metallica and Hilary [Duff.] I had Joan Jett and Pat Benatar. You should have seen my face when Britney covered “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” in “Crossroads”. I melted That scene was the father, the son, and the Holy Ghost, all in one room. I actually lost my mind. They were worlds colliding beyond what he could have dreamed of.
You and Justin Bieber had a conversation in your Instagram comments about a collaboration between Ashley and Justin. When is that going to happen?
Man, I think we could come up with something very, very, very special. As of now, nothing is in the works, but I remember sitting in front of him at the premiere of his movie. He was 16 years old, something like that. He leaned towards me and asked for advice in a very kind and friendly way. I said, “Just try to remember everything, try to press the register in your brain and remember everything because there are many times in my life when my mother says, ‘Do you remember when you were able to act for the queen?’ And I say, ‘no’. “There were so many things, both to assimilate and such a young person that he did not remember having assimilated everything. That is something my father always taught me, it was when you are on stage, either when you get there or when you are about to leave, take a photo in your mind. And remember it, and enjoy it, and take it.
Do you ever look back at some of the things you’ve done and say, “What was I thinking?”
One of my favorite interviews is when I say, “Anyone who smokes weed is a mannequin.” The one that I love to send to my parents, who are great drug addicts, from time to time. It has been really important for me for the last year to live a sober lifestyle, because I really wanted to polish my craft. I had great vocal surgery in November. I was insanely four weeks where I was not allowed to speak. I was so torn writing on the board, yelling at everyone[[[[Laughs]I had a big bicep for just yelling at mom and still trying to do meetings. But it prepared me for stillness and tranquility.
What was the surgery for?
My doctor examined my vocal cords and said, “Nobody shy has to have this surgery. This is from overuse of the vocal cords. “Not surprisingly, he has this. I’ve been on tour since I was 12, but even touring isn’t the hard part. You end up staying up late and you find yourself and They greet you and things like that. And obviously I only speak like … ton.
You mentioned living a sober life. Are you sober sober?
I’ve been sober sober for the past six months. At first, it was about this vocal surgery. … But I had been thinking a lot about my mother. My mother was adopted and I inherited some of the feelings she had, the feelings of abandonment and the desire to show that you are loved and valuable. My father’s parents divorced when he was 3 years old, so my father was raised. I did a lot of family history, which has a lot of addiction and mental health problems. So I just went through that and asked, “Why am I the way I am?” By understanding the past, we understand the present and the future much more clearly. I think therapy is great.
That’s great. I celebrate my sober birthday on July 7th. It will be seven years.
Congratulations. It is really difficult because especially when you are young, there is the stigma of “you are not fun”. It’s like, “Honey, you can call me a lot of things, but I know I’m fun.” What I love is waking up 100%, 100% of the time. I don’t want to wake up feeling groggy. I want to wake up feeling ready.
“Black Mirror” is available on Netflix.
This interview has been edited and condensed. Listen to the full interview above. You can also listen to “The Big Ticket” on iHeartRadio or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
