Why Hannah Montana star Jason Earles lied to play a 16-year-old while actually 28 and married: 'I was terrified'
The actor has confessed he shaved a whole decade off his age to land the role
That was just so Jackson of him.
For those who grew up with Hannah Montana, you would remember the goofy, snarky Jackson Stewart, played by Jason Earles and the numerous pranks that he pulled on his sister Miley (Miley Cyrus). Well, as it turns out, he was the best fit for the role, for more than one reason.
The actor has confessed he shaved a whole decade off his age to land the role. While auditioning to play a 16-year-old, he casually told producers he was 18, and it worked. Again, the teenagers back then would remember getting very, very confused while seeing 'different' ages pop up on Google.
Speaking on the Best of Both Our Worlds podcast, Earles admitted he spent the early days of filming low-key panicking that his secret would blow up in his face. “I was terrified I’d get fired and recast,” he said.
But, he got away with it, at least for a while. It wasn’t until halfway through season one that a network exec finally found out, greeting him with a very pointed, “So… you’re 28.” To which Earles basically shrugged and said, “I am.”
And because one secret clearly wasn’t enough, there was also the detail that he was married. While he was out here playing a teen heartthrob, his wife, Jennifer Earles, was back home. When an exec asked about the girl, he had to admit: “Yeah… that’s my wife.” Casual.
A slightly stunned follow-up: “Any more secrets? Kids?” Thankfully, that answer was no, followed by a suggestion to keep it that way for a bit. Probably wise, all things considered.
Now, as Miley Cyrus gears up to revisit her Disney roots in the upcoming Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special, fans can expect even more behind-the-scenes secrets.
