Dolly Parton Played Miley Cyrus' Aunt On A Classic Disney Sitcom
Sixteen episodes into the hit Disney sitcom "Hannah Montana," Dolly Parton made her first guest appearance. Parton played Aunt Dolly, who wasn't related to main character Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) by blood but by friendship with her parents. Aunt Dolly was Miley's godmother in the show, just like Parton was Cyrus' godmother in real life.
In a 2020 interview with Vanity Fair, Parton reflected on how her role on the show came about: "[Miley] said 'I want my Aunt Dolly on here... I want her on the show,' so they wrote me in the show, and we just worked so great together. Thanks to her I had a whole new following of people that were turned on to me, these young little kids."
"She didn't know it," Parton said about Cyrus, "but I was watching her like a proud mama, thinking 'You go, you little thing. I'm so proud of you,' and I've always been proud of Miley, she is so talented."
Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus were close on and off the screen
Dolly Parton made two more guest appearances as Aunt Dolly on the series, and was open to starring in the 2009 "Hannah Montana" movie. Although Parton expressed some disappointment when her character wasn't included in the script, she explained that appearing in the show had been "probably the best move" she could've made for her career thanks to the new generation of viewers it introduced her to.
After "Hannah Montana" ended in 2011, Cyrus and Parton sung together on stage on shows like "The Voice" and the 2022 New Year's Eve special on NBC. In 2023 the two singers released a duet of Cyrus' 2013 song "Wrecking Ball." Cyrus posted about the duet on X, writing, "I've grown up covering my Aunt Dolly's music & it's an honor to hear her singing one of my songs. I love you Aunt Dolly!"
Parton passed away on August 25, 2026. Her family said in a statement announcing her death, "A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family."