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Are Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus related? ‘Hannah Montana’ video resurfaces showing iconic godmother ‘Aunt Dolly’
Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus aren't blood relatives, but their godmother-goddaughter bond made them family in every way that mattered.
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Dolly Parton's death at 80 has brought renewed attention to her special bond with Miley Cyrus. A video from Hannah Montana showing Parton calling herself Miley's “Aunt Dolly” has resurfaced, reminding fans of the close relationship the two shared.
Although Parton and Cyrus are not related by blood, the country music legend was Cyrus' honorary godmother and became like family to the singer.
Are Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus related?
The two are not blood relatives, but Cyrus is Parton's honorary goddaughter, as per NBC News. Parton explained the connection to Good Morning America back in 2009: “I'm her honorary godmother. I've known her since she was a baby. Her father's a friend of mine, and when she was born, he said, 'You just have to be her godmother,' and I said, 'I accept.' We never did do a big ceremony, but I'm so proud of her, love her. And she's just like one of my own.”
Even though there's no blood tie, the two considered each other family. Parton spoke about her bond with Cyrus' father, Billy Ray Cyrus, in a 2023 interview with the London Evening Standard: “I love Miley. I worked with her daddy, Billy Ray [Cyrus] when he had 'Achy Breaky Heart,' we toured together for a few years, and, of course, Miley became my goddaughter; I was her fairy godmother. We really have a true bond; she is like a daughter or a sister to me.”
Cyrus has returned that love many times over. She told W Magazine in June 2024: “Dolly's been like a mother to me. Actually, I was just reading this fax that she sent me two Mother's Days ago.” Cyrus recalled what the note said. “Dolly wrote to me to say: 'How much do I love you? As much as my heart can hold and as far as my arms can reach.' It gets me choked up. I just love her so much.”
How Hannah Montana brought them closer
Parton played Miley Stewart's Aunt Dolly on Hannah Montana, introducing her to a whole new generation of fans. Parton spoke about this in her 2022 NBC special, Dolly Parton's Magic Mountain Christmas, telling Cyrus: “I am really proud of you. I've always been proud of you. And you know the one thing that touches me the most with all of this? When you had me on the Hannah Montana show back years ago, you really helped my career! You introduced me to a whole new set of fans, young ones!”
Parton's death
Parton died at 80 on Aug. 25, with her nephew Bryan Seaver announcing the news in an Instagram video. “My name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I'm representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” he said.
