Disney and Miley Cyrus Try to Head Off Bad PR
Monday April 28, 2008
Miley Cyrus, the 15-year-old actress and singer who stars as Disney's Hannah Montana, is making an apology for photos appearing in Vanity Fair. Cyrus says she is "embarrassed" by the pictures celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz took of her.
However, the cogs of the Disney PR machine started turning and the Disney Channel has now released a statement saying, "Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines." Cyrus has since echoed a similar statement to People magazine. "I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," she said.
More on the Miley Cyrus and Vanity Fair Photos:
Vanity Fair and Leibovitz stand by the photos. They've even posted a behind the scenes video of the photo shoot with a statement on the magazine's Web site that, "the nefarious photo shoot that has parents threatening to host Hannah Montana bonfire parties was actually a relaxed family event."
A spokesperson for the magazine told Entertainment Tonight, "Miley's parents and/or minders were on the set all day. Since the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural photo of Miley."
The photos appear alongside an interview with Cyrus and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus. However, the photo controversy has taken center stage and swept the Internet with posts calling for parents to be concerned, a Disney boycott and even a bonfire of everything Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus.
Does Disney face a PR backlash over the photos? Share your opinion on this controversy.
- Will There Be a PR Backlash?: Share Your Opinion
- Behind the Scenes: Cyrus Photo Shoot Video
- See the Photo: The Cyrus Picture in Question
- Hannah Montana Goes Retail: Specialty Products Hit Wal-Mart
However, the cogs of the Disney PR machine started turning and the Disney Channel has now released a statement saying, "Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines." Cyrus has since echoed a similar statement to People magazine. "I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," she said.
More on the Miley Cyrus and Vanity Fair Photos:
Vanity Fair and Leibovitz stand by the photos. They've even posted a behind the scenes video of the photo shoot with a statement on the magazine's Web site that, "the nefarious photo shoot that has parents threatening to host Hannah Montana bonfire parties was actually a relaxed family event."
A spokesperson for the magazine told Entertainment Tonight, "Miley's parents and/or minders were on the set all day. Since the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural photo of Miley."
The photos appear alongside an interview with Cyrus and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus. However, the photo controversy has taken center stage and swept the Internet with posts calling for parents to be concerned, a Disney boycott and even a bonfire of everything Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus.
Does Disney face a PR backlash over the photos? Share your opinion on this controversy.