October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 67 days remaining until the end of the year.

Events[link]

• 473 – Emperor Leo I acclaims his grandson Leo II as Caesar of the Byzantine Empire.
• 1147 – The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a four-month siege.
• 1147 – Seljuk Turks completely annihilate German crusaders under Conrad III at the Battle of Dorylaeum.
• 1415 – The army of Henry V of England defeats the French at the Battle of Agincourt.
• 1616 – Dutch sea-captain Dirk Hartog makes second recorded landfall by a European on Australian soil, at the later-named Dirk Hartog Island off the West Australian coast.
• 1747 – British fleet under Admiral Sir Edward Hawke defeats the French at the second battle of Cape Finisterre.
• 1760 – George III becomes King of Great Britain.
• 1812 – War of 1812: The American frigate, USS United States, commanded by Stephen Decatur, captures the British frigate HMS Macedonian.
• 1828 – The St Katharine Docks opened in London.
• 1854 – The Battle of Balaklava during the Crimean War (Charge of the Light Brigade).
• 1861 – The Toronto Stock Exchange is created.
• 1900 – The United Kingdom annexes the Transvaal.
• 1917 – Traditionally understood date of the October Revolution, involving the capture of the Winter Palace, Petrograd, Russia. The date refers to the Julian Calendar date, and corresponds with November 7 in the Gregorian calendar.
• 1920 – After 74 days on Hunger Strike in Brixton Prison, England, the Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork, Terence MacSwiney died.
• 1924 – The forged Zinoviev Letter is published in the Daily Mail, wrecking the British Labour Party's hopes of re-election.
• 1938 – The Archbishop of Dubuque, Francis J. L. Beckman, denounces swing music as "a degenerated musical system... turned loose to gnaw away at the moral fiber of young people", warning that it leads down a "primrose path to hell".
• 1940 – Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. is named the first African American general in the United States Army.
• 1944 – Heinrich Himmler orders a crackdown on the Edelweiss Pirates, a loosely organized youth culture in Nazi Germany that had assisted army deserters and others to hide from the Third Reich.
• 1944 – The USS Tang under Richard O'Kane (the top American submarine captain of World War II) is sunk by the ship's own malfunctioning torpedo.
• 1944 – The Romanian Army liberates Carei, the last Romanian city under Axis Powers occupation.
• 1944 – Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history, takes place in and around the Philippines between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the U.S. Third and U.S. Seventh Fleets.
• 1945 – The Republic of China takes over administration of Taiwan following Japan's surrender to the Allies.
• 1962 – Cuban missile crisis: Adlai Stevenson shows photos at the UN proving Soviet missiles are installed in Cuba.
• 1962 – Uganda joins the United Nations.
• 1962 – Nelson Mandela is sentenced to five years in prison.
• 1971 – The United Nations seated the People's Republic of China and expelled the Republic of China (see political status of Taiwan and China and the United Nations)
• 1977 – Digital Equipment Corporation releases OpenVMS V1.0.
• 1980 – Proceedings on the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction conclude at The Hague.
• 1983 – Operation Urgent Fury: The United States and its Caribbean allies invade Grenada, six days after Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and several of his supporters are executed in a coup d'état.
• 1991 – History of Slovenia: Three months after the end of the Ten-Day War, the last soldier of the Yugoslav People's Army leaves the territory of the Republic of Slovenia.
• 1995 – A commuter train slams into a school bus in Fox River Grove, Illinois, killing seven students.
• 1997 – After a brief civil war which has driven President Pascal Lissouba out of Brazzaville, Denis Sassou-Nguesso proclaims himself the President of the Republic of the Congo.
• 2004 – Fidel Castro, Cuba's President, announces that transactions using the American Dollar will be banned.
• 2009 – The 25 October 2009 Baghdad bombings kills 155 and wounds at least 721.
• 2010 – Mount Merapi in Central Java, Indonesia, begins over a month of eruptions.

Births[link]

• 1102 – William Clito, Count of Flanders (d. 1128)
• 1330 – Louis II of Flanders (d. 1384)
• 1510 – Renée of France, French princess (d. 1574)
• 1683 – Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, British politician (d. 1757)
• 1709 – Georg Gebel (the younger), German musician and composer (d. 1753)
• 1759 – Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg), Russian empress (d. 1828)
• 1759 – William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, British politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1834)
• 1767 – Benjamin Constant, Swiss writer (d. 1830)
• 1772 – Geraud Duroc, French general (d. 1813)
• 1782 – Levi Lincoln, Jr., 13th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1868)
• 1800 – Thomas Macaulay, British poet, historian, and politician (d. 1859)
• 1802 – Joseph Montferrand, Canadian logger and strong man (d. 1864)
• 1806 – Max Stirner, German philosopher (d. 1856)
• 1811 – Évariste Galois, French mathematician (d. 1832)
• 1825 – Johann Strauss II, Austrian composer (d. 1899)
• 1838 – Georges Bizet, French composer (d. 1875)
• 1856 – Dragutin Gorjanovic-Kramberger, Croatian paleontologist (d. 1936)
• 1864 – Alexander Gretchaninov, Russian composer (d. 1956)
• 1864 – John Francis Dodge, American automobile pioneer (d. 1920)
• 1867 – Józef Dowbór-Muśnicki, Polish general (d. 1937)
• 1868 – Dan Burke, Major League Baseball player (d. 1933)
• 1881 – Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter and sculptor (d. 1973)
• 1886 – Leo G. Carroll, English actor (d. 1972)
• 1888 – Richard E. Byrd, American explorer (d. 1957)
• 1888 – Nils von Dardel, Swedish painter (d. 1943)
• 1889 – Abel Gance, French film director (d. 1981)
• 1889 – Smoky Joe Wood, American baseball pitcher (d. 1985)
• 1891 – Father Coughlin, Roman Catholic priest and radio broadcaster (d. 1979)
• 1892 – Nell Shipman, Canadian actress, screenwriter, and film producer (d. 1970)
• 1894 – Âşık Veysel Şatıroğlu, Turkish minstrel (d. 1973)
• 1895 – Levi Eshkol, Prime Minister of Israel (d. 1969)
• 1902 – Henry Steele Commager, American historian (d. 1998)
• 1902 – Eddie Lang, American jazz guitarist (d. 1933)
• 1903 – Katharine Byron, U.S. Congresswoman (d. 1976)
• 1903 – Harry Shoulberg, American painter (d. 1995)
• 1908 – Edmond Pidoux, Swiss writer (d. 2004)
• 1910 – William Higinbotham, American physicist (d. 1994)
• 1912 – Minnie Pearl, American comedian and singer (d. 1996)
• 1913 – Klaus Barbie, Nazi war criminal (d. 1991)
• 1914 – John Berryman, American poet (d. 1972)
• 1915 – Ivan M. Niven, Canadian mathematician (d. 1999)
• 1917 – Lee MacPhail, American baseball manager and league executive
• 1918 – Chubby Jackson, American jazz double-bassist and band leader (d. 2003)
• 1921 – King Michael I of Romania
• 1923 – Jean Duceppe, Quebec actor (d. 1990)
• 1923 – Bobby Thomson, Scotland born American baseball player (d. 2010)
• 1924 – Billy Barty, American actor (d. 2000)
• 1924 – Earl Palmer, American rock & roll and rhythm and blues drummer (d. 2008)
• 1924 – Henry Sy, Chinese-Filipino businessman
• 1925 – Clancy Lyall, American soldier (d. 2012)
• 1926 – Ismail Gulgee, Pakistani painter
• 1926 – Jimmy Heath, American jazz saxophonist, composer and arranger
• 1926 – Galina Vishnevskaya, Russian soprano
• 1927 – Barbara Cook, American singer and actress
• 1927 – Jorge Batlle Ibáñez, former President of Uruguay
• 1927 – Lawrence Kohlberg, American psychologist (d. 1987)
• 1928 – Marion Ross, American actress
• 1928 – Anthony Franciosa, American actor (d. 2006)
• 1931 – Jimmy McIlroy, Irish footballer and football manager
• 1931 – Annie Girardot, French actress (d. 2011)
• 1932 – Harry Gregg, Irish footballer and football manager
• 1933 – Eugene "Porky" Lee, American child actor (d. 2005)
• 1935 – Sam Taylor, American jump blues musician and songwriter (d. 2009)
• 1935 – Russell Schweickart, astronaut
• 1936 – Sir Martin Gilbert, British historian
• 1936 – Masako Nozawa, Japanese actress
• 1937 – Roberto Menescal, Brazilian jazz guitarist important to founding of bossa nova
• 1939 – Zelmo Beaty, American basketball player
• 1939 – Fred Marcellino, American illustrator (d. 2001)
• 1939 – Nikos Nikolaidis, Greek film director and a writer (d. 2007)
• 1939 – Robin Spry, Canadian filmmaker and producer (d. 2005)
• 1940 – Bobby Knight, American basketball coach
• 1941 – Helen Reddy, Australian singer
• 1941 – Anne Tyler, American novelist
• 1944 – Jon Anderson, English singer (Yes)
• 1944 – James Carville, American political strategist and commentator
• 1944 – Kati Kovács, Hungarian singer
• 1945 – Peter Ledger, Australian artist (d. 1994)
• 1947 – Glenn Tipton, English guitarist (Judas Priest)
• 1947 – Coco Robicheaux, American blues musician
• 1948 – Dave Cowens, American basketball player and coach
• 1948 – Daniel Mark Epstein, American poet and biographer
• 1948 – Dan Gable, American wrestler and coach
• 1948 – Dan Issel, American basketball player
• 1949 – Réjean Houle, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1949 – Walter Hyatt, American singer and songwriter, leader of Uncle Walt's Band
• 1949 – Hans-Georg Kraus, German footballer
• 1950 – Chris Norman, English singer
• 1951 – Richard Lloyd, American guitarist (Television)
• 1952 – Samir Geagea, Lebanese Politician
• 1952 – Ioannis Kyrastas, Greek footballer and manager (d. 2004)
• 1952 – Mollie O'Brien, American singer, sister of Tim O'Brien
• 1954 – Mike Eruzione, American hockey player
• 1954 – David Worrall, Australian composer and polymedia artist
• 1955 – Glynis Barber, English actress
• 1955 – Danny Darwin, American baseball player
• 1955 – Robin Eubanks, American jazz trombonist
• 1955 – Matthias Jabs, German guitarist (Scorpions)
• 1957 – Nancy Cartwright, American voice actress
• 1958 – Phil Daniels, English actor
• 1958 – Kornelia Ender, East German swimmer
• 1960 – Christina Amphlett, lead vocalist for The Divinyls
• 1961 – Ward Burton, American auto racer
• 1961 – Chad Smith, American drummer (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
• 1961 – Janice Tanton, Canadian artist
• 1961 – Willie Walsh, Irish businessman
• 1962 – Nick Hancock, British television presenter
• 1962 – Darlene Vogel, American actress
• 1963 – Tracy Nelson, American actress
• 1964 – Michael Boatman, American actor
• 1964 – Nicole, German singer
• 1964 – Kevin Michael Richardson, American voice actor
• 1965 – Þorsteinn Bachmann, Icelandic actor
• 1965 – 2 Cold Scorpio, American professional wrestler
• 1966 – Wendel Clark, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1966 – Perry Satullo, American professional wrestler
• 1969 – Josef Beranek, Czech ice hockey player
• 1969 – Nika Futterman, American voice actress
• 1969 – Oleg Salenko, Russian footballer
• 1970 – J.A. Adande, American sports columnist
• 1970 – Peter Aerts, Dutch kickboxer and martial artist
• 1970 – Adam Goldberg, American actor
• 1970 – Adam Pascal, American actor
• 1970 – Ed Robertson, Canadian musician (Barenaked Ladies)
• 1970 – Daniel Scheinhardt, German footballer
• 1970 – Chely Wright, American country music artist
• 1971 – Simon Charlton, English footballer
• 1971 – Athena Chu, Hong Kong actress and singer
• 1971 – Neil Fallon, Lead singer of Clutch (band)
• 1971 – Midori Goto, Japanese violinist
• 1971 – Rosie Ledet, Creole Zydeco accordion player and singer
• 1971 – Pedro Martínez, Dominican baseball player
• 1972 – Jonathan Torrens, Canadian actor
• 1973 – Lamont Bentley, American actor (d. 2005)
• 1974 – Lee Byung-Kyu, South Korean baseball player
• 1974 – Goya Jaekel, German footballer
• 1975 – Ryan Clement, former XFL quarterback
• 1975 – Eirik Glambek Bøe, Norwegian musician
• 1976 – Brett Kirk, Australian Rules footballer
• 1976 – Steve Jones, Irish footballer
• 1977 – Yehonathan Gatro, Israeli singer and actor
• 1977 – Birgit Prinz, German footballer
• 1978 – Russell Anderson, Scottish footballer
• 1978 – Markus Pöyhönen, Finnish athlete
• 1979 – Rob Hulse, English footballer
• 1979 – Bat for Lashes, British singer
• 1979 – Milena Roucka, Canadian professional wrestler
• 1979 – Sarah Thompson, American actress
• 1979 – Tony Torcato, American baseball player
• 1979 – Eddie Argos, British songwriter & musician
• 1980 – Mehcad Brooks, American actor and former model
• 1981 – Josh Henderson, American actor and singer
• 1981 – Jerome Isaac Jones, American singer
• 1981 – Austin Winkler, American lead vocalist (Hinder)
• 1981 – Jon Wood, American NASCAR driver
• 1981 – Shaun Wright-Phillips, English footballer
• 1982 – Jerome Carter, American football player
• 1982 – Eman Lam, Hong Kong singer
• 1983 – Han Yeo-reum, South Korean actress
• 1983 – Taylor Vixen, American pornographic actress
• 1983 – Tim McGarigle, American football player
• 1983 – Gyptian, Jamaican reggae singer
• 1984 – Sara Helena Lumholdt, Swedish musician (A-Teens)
• 1984 – Katy Perry, American singer
• 1985 – Ciara, American singer
• 1985 – Kara Lynn Joyce, American swimmer and Olympian
• 1986 – DJ Webstar, American disc jockey
• 1986 – Eddie Gaven, American soccer player
• 1987 – Darron Gibson, Irish football player
• 1987 – Fabian Hambüchen, German gymnast and Olympic medallist
• 1988 – Shane Edwards, Australian Rules footballer
• 1989 – Ivan Marconi, Italian footballer
• 1993 – Kelley Missal, American actress
• 2001 – Princess Elisabeth of Belgium
• 2006 – Krista and Tatiana Hogan, Canadian craniopagus conjoined twins

Deaths[link]

• 304 – Pope Marcellinus
• 625 – Pope Boniface V
• 1047 – King Magnus I of Norway (b. 1024)
• 1154 – King Stephen of England (b. 1096)
• 1200 – Conrad of Wittelsbach, German Archbishop
• 1230 – Gilbert de Clare, 5th Earl of Hertford, English soldier (b. 1180)
• 1400 – Geoffrey Chaucer, English poet
• 1415 – Killed in the Battle of Agincourt:
  • Charles d'Albret, Count of Dreux and Constable of France
  • John I of Alençon (b. 1385)
  • Antoine, Duke of Brabant (b. 1384)
  • Frederick of Lorraine (b. 1371)
  • Philip II, Count of Nevers (b. 1389)
  • Michael de la Pole, 3rd Earl of Suffolk (b. 1394)
  • Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York (b. 1373)
• 1478 – Katarina Kosača, queen consort of Bosnia
• 1492 – Thaddeus McCarthy, Irish Catholic bishop
• 1495 – King John II of Portugal (b. 1455)
• 1514 – William Elphinstone, Scottish bishop and statesman (b. 1431)
• 1555 – Olympia Fulvia Morata, Italian classical scholar (b. 1526)
• 1557 – William Cavendish, English politician (b. 1505)
• 1633 – Jean Titelouze, French organist
• 1647 – Evangelista Torricelli, Italian physicist and mathematician (b. 1608)
• 1683 – William Scroggs, Lord Chief Justice of England
• 1733 – Giovanni Gerolamo Saccheri, Italian mathematician (b. 1667)
• 1757 – Antoine Augustine Calmet, French theologian (b. 1672)
• 1760 – George II of Great Britain (b. 1683)
• 1773 – Johann Georg Estor, German jurist (b. 1699)
• 1806 – Henry Knox, American general and politician (b. 1750)
• 1826 – Philippe Pinel, French psychiatrist (b. 1745)
• 1833 – Abbas Mirza of Persia (b. 1789)
• 1852 – John C. Clark, American politician (b. 1793)
• 1889 – Émile Augier, French dramatist (b. 1820)
• 1895 – Charles Hallé, German pianist and conductor (b. 1819)
• 1905 – Dimosthenis Dogkas, Greek politician (unknown)
• 1910 – Willie Anderson, Scottish-born golfer (b. 1878)
• 1920 – King Alexander I of Greece (b. 1893)
• 1920 – Terence MacSwiney, Irish playwright and activist (b. 1879)
• 1921 – Bat Masterson, American journalist and lawman (b. 1853)
• 1936 – Antonios Miaoulis, Greek politician and revolutionary leader during the Greek War of Independence (b. 1800)
• 1938 – Alfonsina Storni, Argentine poet (b. 1892)
• 1945 – Robert Ley, German Nazi leader (b. 1890)
• 1953 – Holger Pedersen, Danish linguist (b. 1867)
• 1955 – Sadako Sasaki, Japanese atomic bomb victim (b. 1943)
• 1957 – Albert Anastasia, Italian-born American organized crime figure (b. 1902)
• 1957 – Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany, Irish writer (b. 1878)
• 1960 – Harry Ferguson, Irish farm equipment manufacturer (b. 1884)
• 1963 – Roger Désormière, French conductor (b. 1898)
• 1963 – Karl Terzaghi, Austrian-American engineer (b. 1883)
• 1965 – Eduard Einstein, son of Albert Einstein (b. 1910)
• 1973 – Abebe Bikila, Ethiopian athlete (b. 1932)
• 1973 – Cleo Moore, American actress (b. 1928)
• 1973 – Robert Scholl, German politician, father of Hans and Sophie Scholl (b. 1891)
• 1975 – Vladimir Herzog, Brazilian journalist and activist (b. 1937)
• 1976 – Raymond Queneau, French poet and novelist (b. 1903)
• 1979 – Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer, British military administrator (b. 1898)
• 1980 – Virgil Fox, American organist (b. 1912)
• 1980 – Sahir Ludhianvi, Indian poet and lyricist (b. 1921)
• 1985 – Gary Holton, English actor (b. 1952)
• 1986 – Forrest Tucker, American actor (b. 1919)
• 1991 – Bill Graham, American rock promoter (b. 1931)
• 1992 – Roger Miller, American musician and composer (b. 1936)
• 1993 – Danny Chan, Hong Kong singer/songwriter (b. 1958)
• 1993 – Vincent Price, American actor (b. 1911)
• 1994 – Kara Spears Hultgreen, American naval pilot (b. 1965)
• 1994 – Mildred Natwick, American actress (b. 1905)
• 1995 – Bobby Riggs, American tennis player (b. 1918)
• 1995 – Viveca Lindfors, Swedish-born actress (b. 1920)
• 1998 – Warren Wiebe, American singer (b. 1953)
• 1999 – Payne Stewart, American golfer (b. 1957)
• 2002 – Richard Harris, Irish actor (b. 1930)
• 2002 – Paul Wellstone, American politician (b. 1944)
• 2002 – René Thom, French mathematician (b. 1923)
• 2003 – Pandurang Shastri Athavale, Indian philosopher and spiritual figure (b. 1920)
• 2003 – Veikko Hakulinen, Finnish cross-country skier (b. 1925)
• 2003 – Robert Strassburg, American composer (b. 1915)
• 2004 – John Peel, British disc jockey (b. 1939)
• 2005 – Wellington Mara, American football team owner (b. 1916)
• 2006 – Danny Rolling, American convicted murderer (b. 1954)
• 2007 – Martín Caballero, Colombian guerrilla leader
• 2008 – Anne Pressly, American news anchor (b. 1982)
• 2010 – Gregory Isaacs, Jamaican musician (b. 1951)
• 2010 – Vesna Parun, Croatian poet (b. 1922)
• 2010 – Lisa Blount, American actress and producer (b. 1957)

Holidays and observances[link]

• Armed Forces Day (Romania)
• Christian Feast Day:
  • Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy
  • Crysanthus and Daria (Western Christianity)
  • Crispin and Crispinian
  • Forty Martyrs of England and Wales
  • Gaudentius of Brescia
  • Minias of Florence
  • October 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Constitution Day (Lithuania)
• Day of the Basque Country (Basque Country)
• Earliest day on which Nevada Day can fall, while October 31 is the latest; celebrated on last Friday in October. (Nevada)
• Republic Day (Kazakhstan)
• Retrocession Day (Taiwan)
• Thanksgiving Day (Grenada)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: October 25

• BBC: On This Day
• The New York Times: On This Day
• On This Day in Canada

This Awards and achievements succession box's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help improve the article by updating it. There may be additional information on the talk page. (April 2012)

Miley Cyrus
Cyrus at the 2012 People's Choice Awards
Background information
Birth name	Destiny Hope Cyrus
Born	(1992-11-23) November 23, 1992 (age 19) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.[1]
Genres	Pop,[2] country pop, dance, electropop, teen pop
Occupations	Actress, musician
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Walt Disney, Hollywood
Associated acts	Hannah Montana, Billy Ray Cyrus, Demi Lovato
Website	MileyCyrus.com Signature of Miley Cyrus.

Miley Ray Cyrus (born Destiny Hope Cyrus; November 23, 1992) is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana.

Cyrus recorded music for the soundtracks, Hannah Montana (2006) and Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus (2007), released by Walt Disney Records. With the success of the Hannah Montana franchise she established herself as a teen idol. In 2007, Cyrus signed to Hollywood Records to pursue a solo career. She embarked upon the Best of Both Worlds Tour the same year, in which she performed as both herself and in character as Hannah Montana. The tour was eventually turned into a high-grossing concert film titled Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008). In July 2008, Cyrus released her first solo album, Breakout (2008), which was commercially successful.

She began her foray into film by providing the voice of "Penny" in the animated film Bolt (2008). Cyrus earned a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for her performance of Bolt's theme song, "I Thought I Lost You". She also reprised her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana in Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009). The Hannah Montana: The Movie' soundtrack introduced her to new audiences within country and adult contemporary markets.

She began to cultivate an adult image in 2009 with the release of The Time of Our Lives (2009), an extended play which presented a more mainstream pop sound, and by filming The Last Song (2010), a coming-of-age drama film. The former included Cyrus's best-selling single, "Party in the U.S.A." (2009). A studio album titled Can't Be Tamed was released in 2010 and presents a new dance-pop sound. The music video and lyrics of the album's lead single, "Can't Be Tamed", portrays a more sexualized image for the entertainer. Cyrus ranked number thirteen on Forbes' 2010 Celebrity 100.^[3] For the 2011 Guinness World Records, she was named the “Most Charted Teenager” following her 29th US Billboard Hot 100 chart entry on November 7, 2009 with “Party in the USA”.^[4]

Early life[link]

Cyrus at the 2010 Academy Awards.

Cyrus was born on November 23, 1992, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Letitia Jean "Tish"^[5] (née Finley) and country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.^[6][7] Her parents named her Destiny Hope because they believed that she would accomplish great things with her life. They gave her the nickname "Smiley", which was later shortened to "Miley", because she smiled so often as a baby.^[8] Cyrus suffers from a mild heart condition causing tachycardia which, though not dangerous, is often bothersome.^[9]

Against the wishes of her father's record company,^[10] Cyrus's parents secretly married a year after Cyrus's birth on December 28, 1993.^[7][11] Tish had two children from a previous relationship: Trace and Brandi. Billy Ray adopted Trace and Brandi when they were young.^[12] She has a half-brother, Christopher Cody, Billy Ray's son from a brief relationship, born the same year as Miley; he grew up with his mother in South Carolina.^[10] Tish and Billy Ray had two more children, Braison and Noah. Cyrus's godmother is entertainer Dolly Parton.^[13] Cyrus was very close to her paternal grandfather, Democratic politician Ronald Ray Cyrus.^[14] Cyrus has paid her grandfather several tributes since his death in 2006, including eventually changing her middle name to "Ray".^[15] According to Cyrus's father, "A lot of people say Miley changed her name to Miley Ray because of Billy Ray, but that's not true. She did that in honor of my dad, because the two of them just loved each other to pieces."^[9]

Cyrus grew up on a 500-acre (2.0 km²) farm in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville,^[16] and attended Heritage Elementary School.^[17] She was raised Christian and was baptized in a Southern Baptist church prior to moving to Hollywood in 2005. She attended church regularly while growing up and wore a purity ring.^[18] Several of Cyrus's siblings also eventually entered the entertainment business: Trace became a vocalist and guitarist for the electronic pop band Metro Station,^[19] Noah became an actress, and Brandi became a guitarist.^[20]

Career[link]

2001–05: Career beginnings[link]

In 2001, when Cyrus was eight, she and her family moved to Toronto, Canada while her father filmed the television series Doc.^[21] Cyrus said watching her father film the show inspired her to pursue acting. After Billy Ray took her to see a 2001 Mirvish production of Mamma Mia! at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Cyrus grabbed his arm and told him, "This is what I want to do, daddy. I want to be an actress."^[22] She began taking singing and acting classes at the Armstrong Acting Studio in Toronto.^[23] In her first role, Cyrus played a girl named Kylie on Doc.^[8] In 2003, Cyrus was credited under her birth name for her role as "Young Ruthie" in Tim Burton's Big Fish.^[24]

At age 11, Cyrus learned about the casting for what became Hannah Montana, a Disney Channel children's television series about a school girl with a secret double life as a teen pop star. Cyrus sent in a tape auditioning for the show's best friend role, but received a call asking her to audition for the lead, "Chloe Stewart".^[1] After sending in a new tape and flying to Hollywood for further auditions,^[25] Cyrus was told that she was too young and too small for the part.^[25][26] However, her persistence and ability to sing in addition to act led the show's producers to invite her back for further auditions. Cyrus eventually received the lead, renamed "Miley Stewart" after herself, at the age of twelve.^[25] During this time, she also auditioned with Taylor Lautner for the feature film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D and it came down to her and another actress, but Cyrus started doing Hannah Montana instead.^[27]

As Cyrus's career took off, Tish Cyrus made several critical decisions regarding her daughter's representation. She signed Cyrus with Mitchell Gossett, director of the youth division at Cunningham Escott Slevin Doherty. Gossett, who specializes in creating child stars, had arranged for Cyrus's auditions for Hannah Montana and is credited with "discovering" her.^[28][29] For Cyrus's music career, Tish followed the advice of Dolly Parton, Cyrus's godmother and a singer herself, and signed Cyrus with Jason Morey of Morey Management Group. "Dolly said the Moreys are people you can trust around your daughter," Tish Cyrus recalls, "and she said they have good morals, which is not always the case in this business."^[30] According to trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter, Parton's advice was "the best advice [Tish] could [have gotten] on who should rep her daughter."^[30] Tish also recruited Billy Ray's business manager to manage her daughter's finances. Tish herself continues to co-manage or produce many of Cyrus's career decisions.^[30] For her education, Cyrus enrolled at Options for Youth Charter Schools^[31] and studied with a private tutor on the set of her television show.^[32]

[edit] 2006–07: Hannah Montana and Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus

Cyrus performing on the Best of Both Worlds Tour

Hannah Montana became an instant hit and propelled Cyrus to teen idol status, according to The Daily Telegraph.^[24] The series premiered on March 26, 2006, to the largest audience ever for a Disney Channel show^[33] and soon became one of the highest-rated series on basic cable, elevating Cyrus's wealth and fame along with it.^[34] Time magazine reports that Cyrus's "phenom[enal]" success is due partially to her talent and partially to "Disney learning to use its vast, multimedia holdings" and market Cyrus and Hannah Montana appropriately.^[35] Cyrus eventually became the first artist to have deals in television, film, consumer products, and music within The Walt Disney Company.^[28]

The first single was "The Best of Both Worlds", the theme song to Hannah Montana, which was released on March 28, 2006.^[36] "The Best of Both Worlds" is credited to "Hannah Montana", the pop star Cyrus portrays on the series by the same name. As with other songs credited to Montana, Cyrus typically dressed as the character when performing the song live.^[37] Cyrus's first release under her own name was a cover of James Baskett's "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", released on April 4, 2006, on the fourth edition of DisneyMania.^[38] Dressed as Hannah Montana, Cyrus opened for The Cheetah Girls on twenty dates of their The Party's Just Begun Tour, beginning on September 15, 2006.^[39] On October 24 of same year, Walt Disney Records released the first Hannah Montana soundtrack. Of the nine tracks on the soundtrack performed by Cyrus, eight were credited to "Hannah Montana" and one, a duet with her father titled "I Learned from You", was credited to Cyrus as herself. The album peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.^[40]

Cyrus and her father, Billy Ray, performing "Ready, Set, Don't Go" at the Kids' Inaugural: "We Are the Future." – January 19, 2009; Washington D.C.

The second season of Hannah Montana premiered on April 23, 2007, and ran until October 12, 2008.^[41] Cyrus signed a four-album deal with Disney-owned Hollywood Records and, on June 26, 2007, released a double-disc album. The first disc was the soundtrack to the second season of Hannah Montana, while the second, titled Meet Miley Cyrus, was Cyrus's debut album credited to her own name. The double-disc album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200^[42] and was later certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[43] Meet Miley Cyrus generated "See You Again", Cyrus's first single to be released under her own name and her first top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100.^[44] In fall 2007, Cyrus launched her first tour, the Best of Both Worlds Tour, to promote Meet Miley Cyrus and the Hannah Montana soundtracks. With the Jonas Brothers, Aly & AJ, and Everlife as her opening acts, Cyrus toured from October 17, 2007, to January 31, 2008, with stops in the U.S. and Canada.^[45] Tickets sold out in minutes and were scalped for up to $2,500 and an average of $214, well above their $26–$65 face value.^[46] A Ticketmaster official commented, "Hell hath no fury like the parent of a child throwing a tantrum. People who have been in this business for a long time are watching what's happening, and they say there hasn't been a demand of this level or intensity since The Beatles or Elvis."^[47]

[edit] 2008–09: Breakout, transitions and film career launch

Cyrus at 2008 MTV Video Music Awards

After the end of the Best of Both Worlds Tour in January 2008, Walt Disney Pictures released Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, a 3D concert film of the tour, on February 1, 2008, for what was expected to be a one-week run. The film earned over $31 million^[48] at the box-office and an average of $42,000 per theater, twice the expected total, convincing Disney executives to extend the release for an indefinite run. "We don't want to turn away kids from the theaters who couldn't get into the concerts," said Chuck Viane, Disney's chief of distribution.^[49] The film's soundtrack was released by Walt Disney Records/Hollywood Records on March 11, 2008, and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.^[50]

On July 22, 2008, Cyrus released her second studio album under her own name, titled Breakout. Cyrus said Breakout was inspired by "what's been going on in my life in the past year."^[51] Cyrus co-wrote eight out of twelve songs on the album.^[51] "Songwriting is what I really want to do with my life forever, [...] I just hope this record showcases that, more than anything, I'm a writer."^[52] The album debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart^[53] and its lead single, "7 Things", peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[54][55] She hosted the 2008 CMT Music Awards with her father in April^[56] and the 2008 Teen Choice Awards by herself in August.^[57] Cyrus provided the voice of Penny in the 2008 computer-animated film Bolt, which was released on November 21, 2008, to critical acclaim.^[58] Cyrus also co-wrote and recorded the song "I Thought I Lost You" as a duet with John Travolta for the film, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.^[59] In September 2009, she participated in the charity single "Just Stand Up!" in support of the anti-cancer campaign Stand Up to Cancer^[60] and in the City of Hope Benefit Concert in support of cancer research and training programs.^[61] She also became involved in Disney's Friends for Change, an environmentalist group, for which she recorded the charity single "Send It On" along with several other Disney Channel stars.^[62]

Cyrus performing on the Wonder World Tour

Cyrus had already begun transitioning to a more grown-up image in late 2008, when her representatives negotiated a deal for novelist Nicholas Sparks to write the screenplay and novel basis for a film that would serve as a star vehicle for Cyrus by introducing her to audiences older than the young fans she had gained through Hannah Montana.^[63] Sparks and co-writer Jeff Van Wie developed The Last Song.^[63] It was important to Cyrus that she not be type cast as a singer: "I didn't want to be a singer in another film. I don't want to do that anymore. You have no idea how many musicals show up on my door. I want to do something a little more serious."^[64] In March 2009, Cyrus published Miles to Go, a memoir co-written by Hilary Liftin chronicling her life through age sixteen.^[65] Cyrus starred as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana in Hannah Montana: The Movie, released April 10, 2009. Both the film and its soundtrack, which contained twelve songs performed by Cyrus,^[66] achieved commercial success.^[67][68] The soundtrack's lead single, "The Climb", became a Top 40 hit in twelve countries^[69] and introduced Cyrus to listeners outside her typical teen pop audience.^[70] Cyrus had considered ending Hannah Montana after its third season, which finished production on June 5, 2009,^[71] but Disney retained and exercised its option for a fourth season.^[72]

Production on The Last Song lasted from June 15, 2009, to August 18, 2009.^[73] In between, Cyrus launched the third Hannah Montana soundtrack, recorded the extended play The Time of Our Lives (EP), and released the EP's lead single, "Party in the U.S.A."^[74] Cyrus said The Time of Our Lives "is a transitioning album. [...] really to introduce people to what I want my next record to sound like and with time I will be able to do that a little more."^[75] "Party in the U.S.A." debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for her best-ever ranking on the chart.^[76] The Time of Our Lives was released in conjunction with a clothing line co-designed by Cyrus and Max Azria for Walmart.^[77]

From September 14, 2009, to December 29, 2010, Cyrus toured on her Wonder World Tour to promote Breakout and The Time of Our Lives.^{[citation needed]} On December 7, 2009, Cyrus performed for Queen Elizabeth II and numerous other members of the British Royal Family at the Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool, North West England.^[78]

[edit] 2010–2011: Can't Be Tamed, focus on film career, and Gypsy Heart Tour

Cyrus at 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards soundcheck.

Production on the fourth and final season of Hannah Montana began on January 18, 2010.^[79] In the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Cyrus appeared on the charity singles "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti" and "Everybody Hurts".^[80][81] Her third studio album, Can't Be Tamed, was released on June 21, 2010. The album's first single is the title track, "Can't Be Tamed". The single was released for sale on May 18, 2010, and entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number eight.^[82] Cyrus's costumes and dances while promoting Can't Be Tamed were also considerably more provocative than previous performances, arousing media criticism.^[83] After releasing the album, Cyrus intends to take a break from the music industry in order to focus on her film career.^[84] She commented, "I've not taken, like, acting lessons or anything, but it doesn't mean I don't need to because I'm sure I do [...] I'm probably going to go book an acting coach."^[85] Cyrus has also decided to opt out of college for the same reason, saying "I'm a firm believer that you can go back at any age you want, because my Grandma went back to college at 62 [...] For right now, I really want to focus on my career. I've worked hard to get to where I am now, and I want to enjoy it while it lasts."^[86][87][88]

Cyrus starred in The Last Song, which was released on March 31, 2010, and received generally poor reviews, as did Cyrus's performance.^[89] Nonetheless, the film was commercially successful, grossing more than $88 million at the worldwide box office.^[90] According to box-office analyst Exhibitor Relations, the film marked "a successful transition to adult roles for Miley Cyrus."^[91] The fourth and final season of Hannah Montana began airing on Disney Channel on July 11, 2010, and was ended on January 16, 2011.^[92] Cyrus filmed two more films, LOL: Laughing Out Loud and So Undercover in 2010. In LOL, a remake of a 2008 French teen film of the same name, Cyrus plays "a daughter who is involved with all the wrong kids, doing drugs, failing school, but [...whose] mother has her on this perfect pedestal" and says "[She] just fell in love with the story."^[93] Cyrus' character loses her virginity, smokes cannabis, gets wasted and kisses two girlfriends on the lips.^[94] She will also star in So Undercover, an action comedy film. Cyrus will play the part of "a tough, street-smart private eye hired by the FBI to go undercover in a college sorority."^[95] She learned street fighting for the role.^[95]

Despite her earlier announcement that she'd be focusing more on acting in the future, in February 2011, Cyrus confirmed she had no films lineup and was going to go on tour.^[96] On April 29, 2011, Cyrus embarked on her international Gypsy Heart Tour in South America and ended the tour on July 2, 2011, in Australia. Cyrus hosted Saturday Night Live on March 5, 2011, where she performed in several sketches. She also sang a brief song about her several controversies, such as the bong incident, the photo of her friend and she eating a Twizzler, and the "pole dance" on a hotel pole at the Teen Choice Awards, stating "I'm sorry that I'm not perfect."^[97][98] In March 2011, father Billy Ray Cyrus confirmed on talk show, The View, that Cyrus had been in talks with producer Dr. Luke on a new album.^[99] In July 2011, it was announced that she would record her fourth studio album and she has no plans to sign onto any other film projects.^[100] However, it was reported on August 2, 2011, by Contact Music that Cyrus has signed on to star in a comedy in which she plays a woman who broke a promise to God.^[101]

Cyrus released on YouTube a remix of her song "Liberty Walk" in November 2011, dedicated to the Occupy movement, which she referred to as, "the thousands of people who are standing up for what they believe in."^[102]

[edit] 2012–present: LOL, So Undercover, and focus on music career

LOL came out on May 4th

In January 2012, it was announced that Cyrus would be on Punk'd. Cyrus would be on the show alongside friend and co-star in her new film So Undercover, Kelly Osbourne. Cyrus and Osbourne on an episode of the show would punk reality star and TV personality Khloé Kardashian Odom. They punk Khloe by having a young food delivery man pretends to get his family jewels caught in his zipper while using Miley's bathroom.^[103][104]

On January 24, the album Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International was released in honor of Bob Dylan, Cyrus covered Dylan's song "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" from his 15th studio album Blood on the Tracks, in which she also made a music video.^[105] Cyrus's version of the song earned positive reviews from music critics.^{[106][107][108]}

In February, Cyrus dropped out of the animated comedy Hotel Transylvania, in which she was meant to play the role of Mavis, the daughter of Dracula who is voiced by Adam Sandler, the movie also stars Andy Samberg, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, and David Spade.^[109] It was later announced that she will be replaced by fellow Disney star and friend Selena Gomez.^[110] She later announced that she dropped out of the film because she wanted to work on her music this year.^[111][112]

Earnings[link]

In 2008, Cyrus earned $25 million, up from her earnings of $18 million in 2007, and was ranked number 35 on Forbes magazine's "Celebrity 100" list.^[113] Parade magazine reported she was the richest teenage celebrity and that her franchise would be worth approximately $1 billion by the end of the year.^[114] In 2009, Forbes ranked her #29 on the Celebrity 100 and reported she had earned a total of $25 million.^[115] Then Cyrus got ranked number thirteen on Forbes' 2010 Celebrity 100 ranking $48 million.^[3] From the $48 million she made between June 2009 to June 2010 made her the no. 4 highest earners under 30 and the youngest on the list.^[116] between June 2010 and June 2011, Cyrus earned $54 million.^[117]

From working on Hannah Montana, Cyrus got paid $15,000 per episode she did on the hit show, making her the 6th highest paid child star on television behind fellow Disney stars Dylan and Cole Sprouse and Keke Palmer with $20,000 for their shows. Also, she is behind friend and Disney star Selena Gomez that makes $25,000 per episode of her show, Nick star Miranda Cosgrove with $180,000 per episode of her show, and one time co-star Angus T. Jones that got paid $250,000 for each episode of his show.^[118] Though she had not got paid as much as other Disney stars,when she was 17 she was named #19 on the "Top 20 World's Richest Female Singers Of All Time" list with over $100 million in 5 years active throughout her career, which made her the youngest female artist on the list.^[119] In 2011, she was named #1 on the "Top 10 Richest Teens in Hollywood" with $120 million.^[120]

Personal life and image[link]

Cyrus on the Red Carpet at VH1 Divas 2009

A Christian, she was baptized in a Southern Baptist church in 2005.^[121]

In February 2008, Cyrus and her friend Mandy Jiroux opened a YouTube account and began posting videos of what they called The Miley and Mandy Show. The show, described as a "YouTube hit," is said to be filmed for fun by Cyrus and Jiroux and to be entirely their work, with Cyrus and Jiroux editing the footage together.^[122]

With Cyrus's increased success came increased media attention. In a May 2008 interview with The Los Angeles Times, Francois Navarre, the proprietor of the X17 photo agency, said Cyrus's market value had picked up considerably after the Vanity Fair photo controversy: "She's started to sell more. [...] It used to be $300, and now it's $2,000 for a picture."^[123] Estimates for a picture of the then-15 year old's first kiss ranged from $30,000 to $150,000.^[123] Navarre noted that Cyrus rarely behaved against her wholesome image or went out without a parent and stated, "She has people waiting for the moment she starts to be less traditional. [...] It's natural. Any teenager. But it's going to come very fast. [...] As soon as her mom lets her go out by herself. It's going to start to be interesting."^[123] Time magazine included her on the 2008 Time 100, the magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her write-up was written by former child star Donny Osmond, who warned, "As an idol to tweens the world over, singer-actress Miley Cyrus, 15, is riding a huge tidal wave at the pinnacle of her career; this is as it should be. I hope she enjoys it. [...] Within three to five years, Miley will have to face adulthood. [...] As she does, she'll want to change her image, and that change will be met with adversity."^[124]

Cyrus celebrated her 16th birthday at Disneyland with a charity fundraiser for Youth Service America, a youth volunteer service organization.^{[125][126][127]}

In June 2009, Cyrus ended her nine-month relationship with model Justin Gaston shortly before flying to Georgia to film The Last Song.^[128] While filming later that month, Cyrus began dating her co-star in The Last Song, Australian actor Liam Hemsworth.^[129] She later called him her "first serious boyfriend".^[130] In August 2010, it was confirmed that her relationship with Hemsworth had ended.^[131][132] Cyrus and Hemsworth were seen together a month later, and were reportedly back together.^[133] It was announced in early November that the couple had split again.^[134] They have since rekindled their relationship.^[135]

At the end of 2009, Billboard magazine ranked Cyrus the fourth best-selling female artist^[136] and the fifth best-selling singer overall.^[137] Also in 2009, at the age of sixteen, she became the youngest artist to have four number one albums on the charts.^[138]

Controversies[link]

Cyrus performing at the Kids Inaugural: We Are the Future concert in 2009.

In December 2007, a brief controversy emerged when photos Cyrus had posted on her private MySpace account, depicting her and a female friend sharing a piece of licorice and "almost kissing", were spread across the internet, prompting rumors of lesbianism. Cyrus comments, "For me, I was like, That's two girls—it's not a big deal. But they got spread around. Like someone copied and pasted and said, Omigod, look at this, and blah blah blah."^[139]

In April 2008, several provocative images of Cyrus in her underwear and swimsuit were leaked onto the web by a teenager who hacked Cyrus's Gmail account.^{[140][141][142][143]} Cyrus described the images as "silly, inappropriate shots" and stated, "I am going to make mistakes and I am not perfect. I never intended for any of this to happen and I am truly sorry if I have disappointed anyone."^[144][145] On April 25, 2008, the televised entertainment program Entertainment Tonight reported that Cyrus, then 15, had posed topless for a photoshoot taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair.^[146] On April 29, 2008, The New York Times clarified that though the pictures left an impression that she was bare-breasted, Cyrus was wrapped in a bedsheet and was actually not topless.^[147] Some parents expressed outrage at the nature of the photograph, which a Disney spokesperson described as "a situation [that] was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines." Gary Marsh, president of entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, was quoted by Portfolio magazine to have said, "For Miley Cyrus to be a 'good girl' is now a business decision for her. Parents have invested in her a godliness. If she violates that trust, she won't get it back."^[147] In response to the Internet circulation of the photo and ensuing media attention, Cyrus released a statement of apology on April 27, 2008: "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. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."^[147] Leibovitz also released a statement: "I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful."^[147][148]

In May 2008, Gossett, Cyrus's longtime acting agent, left Cunningham Escott Slevin Doherty for United Talent Agency, partially with the hope of "giving Cyrus the major-agency backing that would support a widening career", according to The Hollywood Reporter.^[30][149] About a year later in June 2009, Cyrus left both Gossett and UTA, which had recently negotiated her deals for The Last Song and the fourth season of Hannah Montana, and joined the Creative Artists Agency, which had already represented her for music.^[150] Nikki Finke, who broke the news, reported, "Is this fair to UTA? Of course not. But I hear the decision was made by Miley's mother Trish [sic] Cyrus".^[151]

Cyrus performing during the Wonder World Tour, in 2009.

Cyrus's performance of "Party in the U.S.A." at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards incited a media uproar, with some viewers criticizing Cyrus's provocative outfit and inclusion of a brief pole dance as inappropriate for her age, then sixteen, and for her young fans.^[152][153] Conversely, Newsday reported that her sexualization "has been coming for some time."^[154] Ian Drew, senior editor of US Weekly, said, "She already has this risque image, so it really wasn't much of a stretch. That's how Britney [Spears] took off. She was the good girl gone bad, and it looks to be working for Miley as well."^[154] Cyrus was also criticized that year for dating Gaston, five years her senior,^[155] and for a photo displaying Cyrus and friends making "slant-eyed" expressions, which the Organization of Chinese Americans claimed was offensive to the Asian community.^[156] Cyrus apologized for the photo on her website, defending her actions and saying, "In NO way was I making fun of any ethnicity! I was simply making a goofy face."^[157]

Later in 2010, TMZ released a video of Cyrus, then 16, giving Adam Shankman, producer of The Last Song, a lap dance at the film's wrap party.^{[158][159][160]} Cyrus's father defended her actions, saying Miley was just "having fun" and that "it's what people her age do".^[161] Later that year in December, TMZ released a video of Cyrus, which took place five days after her 18th birthday at her Los Angeles home, in which she is seen smoking from a bong. She claimed she was smoking the psychoactive plant salvia divinorum, although this has not been confirmed by anybody but Cyrus herself.^{[162][163][164]} Salvia is legal in the state of California, and Cyrus was of legal age at the time the video was shot.^[165] Cyrus's father expressed his sadness regarding the matter on Twitter, saying, "Sorry guys. I had no idea. Just saw this stuff for the first time myself. I'm so sad. There is much beyond my control right now".^[166][167]