Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso Were Missing from the Hannah Montana Anniversary Special. Here’s Why

Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso Were Missing from the Hannah Montana Anniversary Special. Here’s Why

Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso Were Missing from the Hannah Montana Anniversary Special. Here’s Why

Two familiar faces were missing from the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special: Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso.

Osment, 34, starred on the series as Lily Truscott, the best friend of Miley Cyrus’ Miley Stewart, a.k.a. Hannah Montana. Musso, 34, played Miley’s other bestie, Oliver Oken.

Osment opened up about the 20th anniversary of the hit TV series in a March 23 post on Instagram. She wrote in the caption, “Hannah Montana changed my life, it gave me a lifelong respect for this medium of comedy, it taught me discipline, patience, timing and respect working in an adult space so young.”

She continued, “I’ve met thousands of HM fans over the years, fans that now have children watching this show and fans that literally work beside me every day, like Montana.” Referencing her George and Mandy’s First Marriage co-star Montana Jordan, she wrote, “He’s seen every episode, don’t be fooled.”

Osment continued, “I can’t tell you what your sweet messages mean to me and how lucky I feel to have been [a part] of this once in a generation goliath of a television show. Thank you for letting me into your living rooms and I hope to still be there many years from now. Would never be where I am without you guys, working on another beautiful show I love so dearly. With all my heart, THANK YOU! ♥️ Lilly.”

In the video alongside the post, Osment explained that she could not be part of the special because she was filming George and Mandy’s First Marriage, a spinoff of The Big Bang Theory spinoff Young Sheldon. She and Jordan also joked about him not knowing what Hannah Montana was.

“But I wanted to say hello and thank everybody who’s stuck by us all these years, and I’m so grateful that you guys all still love the show and I’m so proud to have been a part of it,” she said.

Musso also opened up about the anniversary of the series on his Instagram. He shared a gallery of photos from the series, including with Cyrus, 33, Osment, Jason Earles, who played Miley’s brother Jackson, Billy Ray Cyrus, who played Miley’s dad, and Moisés Arias, who played Rico.

Musso wrote, “Hannah Montana wrapped around my heart and never really let go. We literally grew up with ya’ll — long days, crazy schedules, learning lines, cracking up between takes, and figuring out life while the cameras rolled. It taught me so many wonderful values, but the most important ‘to me’ is that laughter can get you through the tough days. That confidence still sticks with me every single day.”

He continued, “To all of you who grew up right alongside us… your friends were our friends too. Like my Lillypop said on her post, so many of you building families of your own and sharing this wonderful story with your kids is a gift beyond words. It’s been the coolest part of HM.”

Musso also included a special shout-out to the cast of the show. “Miley, Emily, Jason, Billy Ray, Moises, and the whole crew at Disney — you became my family through all the real, messy, beautiful moments,” he wrote. “Thank you for believing in a goofy kid from Texas who wore some questionable outfits with a haircut like that. To all of you, thank you for welcoming me into your homes and hearts 20 years ago and still allowing me to be here today. I’m honored we get to share all of this together.”

Musso did not explain why he was absent from the premiere.

During the Hannah Montana Special, Cyrus appeared as herself while performing some of the songs from the show. Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus both also appeared in it, as did Selena Gomez, who appeared on the show multiple times as rival pop sensation Mikayla. The special also featured an interview with Alex Cooper.

Speaking to PEOPLE at the premiere of the special, Cyrus explained the advice she would give her younger self: “Enjoy and have fun because [filming the show is] a lot of work. But it’s also worth it.”

Hannah Montana aired for four seasons on the Disney Channel, from 2006 to 2010. Hannah Montana: The Movie was also released in 2009.

The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special is streaming now on Hulu and Disney+.