Lucy Hale reveals she auditioned for Miley Cyrus' part in Hannah Montana; says, 'It was very cool'

Lucy Hale, best known for her role in Pretty Little Liars, recently joined Buzzfeed’s ‘The Puppy Interview’ to promote her upcoming film F** Marry Kill*. During the lighthearted interview, she surprised fans by revealing a lesser-known audition from her past—she once auditioned for the lead role in Hannah Montana before it ultimately went to Miley Cyrus.

The ‘Hannah Montana’ Audition When asked about surprising auditions she had been part of, Hale reminisced about her early career and the many roles she had tried out for. “Oh my gosh, I’ve auditioned for Pitch Perfect, Hairspray, Hannah Montana, 50 Shades of Grey, The Substance… so many,” she shared. Specifically, she confirmed that she had auditioned for the role of Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana, which aired on Disney Channel from 2006 to 2010 and became a cultural phenomenon. Hale recalled, “When I still lived in Tennessee, and I was 14 at the time, so this would have been—‘math, math’—21 years ago, and it was a couple of years before they had cast Miley in it.”

A Long Journey in Hollywood Hale also reflected on the nature of the audition process in Hollywood, noting that for every successful casting, there are often hundreds of rejections. “I feel like, because I’ve lived in L.A. almost 20 years, everyone who gets the role—it’s always meant to be their thing,” she explained. “But for every ‘yes’ to an audition, there’s like a lineup of 200 ‘no’s. I should probably go back in my journals and look at all the things I’ve auditioned for.”

What Could Have Been Though Hale ultimately did not land Hannah Montana, she went on to build a successful career in television and film. Fans of the show, however, can’t help but imagine how different Hannah Montana would have been with Hale in the spotlight.