When Miley Cyrus was 12, she auditioned for the role of "best friend" in a Disney Channel television show about a "secret pop star". Disney Channel executives at first judged her to be too young, but Miley Cyrus’ persistence resulted in her being called back for further auditions. Miley Cyrus eventually auditioned for the lead role, Chloe Stewart (as seen in her book Miley Cyrus her auto- biography) When Miley Cyrus won the role, the character's name was changed to Miley Stewart since Miley Cyrus claims she was called by too many names. According to Disney Channel president Gary Marsh, Miley Cyrus was chosen because of her energetic and lively performance and was seen as a person who "loves every minute of life," with the "everyday relatability of Hilary Duff and the stage presence of Shania Twain."
