Emily Osment reflected on her journey from Hannah Montana to the Young Sheldon spinoff success with Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
Before she took on the role of Mandy in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, Emily Osment was known for playing Miley Cyrus’ on-screen BFF in the Disney hit Hannah Montana. However, the reality was far from what appeared on screen. Though playing best friends on TV, both Osment and Cyrus had a hard time getting along, especially after the show blew up to be such a huge hit.
Osment reflected on the same on the Chicks in the Office podcast, sharing that the success of the series appeared to have changed her relationship with Cyrus. “I mean, Miley used to come with me to my school dances and, like, nobody knew who she was and then immediately everything changed,” she shared. “And that was very strange.”
Cyrus has also opened up about how the two were put to compete against each other. And no matter how much they “tried to be friends, we really did, but it always ended in a fight,” the singer revealed in her autobiography, Miles to Go, as per Insider.
Moving On from Hannah Montana — Emily Osment on Finding Herself Beyond Disney Fame
Though they had a hard time getting along during their time on the show, both Emily Osment and Miley Cyrus do appear to have moved past the complicated dynamics that marked their Hannah Montana days. And Osment has made it clear that she’s way past her days on the Disney show.
In a recent interview with Variety, she reflected on how her time on the show overlapped with her own high school experience. “So when I think back on it, I think about growing up and going to school. It’s not so much about the show,” the actress shared.
Despite it being such an integral part of her life and career, Osment shared that she now feels disconnected from it, noting that the experience feels like it happened to a different person.
She also revealed that any lingering physical ties to that chapter of her life were lost in the Altadena wildfire. “We lost every script, every DVD, every chair back, every picture, everything,” she noted before adding, “So there is a lot of that memory that’s kind of gone now.”
However, the actress explained that she doesn’t feel the need to hold onto physical reminders and that her personal memories are enough. Osment has made it very clear that she has moved way past her time on Hannah Montana and is looking forward to the future, and aspires to direct a multi-cam one day.
How Emily Osment Dodged the Child-Star Curse and Stayed on Course
Emily Osment is a rare example of a former child star who transitioned smoothly into adult roles — and she credited her consistency and passion for the craft. While many young stars struggle with the abrupt shift in public perception, Osment stayed grounded by continuing to work steadily through her college years in Los Angeles.
“I stayed in Los Angeles to go to school, and I was still able to work while I was in college… I never really stopped,” she told Variety, emphasizing that staying active in the industry helped her avoid the pitfalls often associated with child fame. However, she eventually had to leave the college due to her busy schedule.
Osment also acknowledged the added challenges of growing up as a woman in Hollywood. “There are way higher expectations, harsher in every way,” she noted, reflecting on the stark differences between her experience and that of her brother, actor Haley Joel Osment, known for The Sixth Sense.
However, surrounded by strong female peers and inspired by efforts to shift industry standards, she remains committed to creating space for women in entertainment. Her journey is a testament to resilience, focus, and the quiet strength of simply never walking away from the work she loves.
