Miley Cyrus appeared on "The View" today to promote "The Last Song". Walking onto the set in a pair of super-tall, suede fringed boots and a black-and-tan layered outfit, Miley was sporting a confident and casual attitude (and some seriously shiny hair) as she sat down to talk about new movies, new romance and family ties.
It's been a tumultuous couple years for Miley as she's tried to shed the wholesome little-girl image of her "Hannah Montana" years (including a public spat with a news commentator on MSNBC for her Teen Choice Awards "pole dancing" routine), but the ladies of "The View" had much more important things to talk about than the tongue-clucking of disapproving old buddies: Namely, Miley's boyfriend and "Last Song" costar Liam Hemsworth.
At the mention of his name, Miley giggled something nearly-unintelligible and then said, "I like him very much." But Barbara Walters, that sly minx, wasn't settling for any piddling admissions of "like" — instead, she gave Miley her best "bitch, please" look and said, "Well, you LOVE him, don't you?"
Looking simultaneously thrilled and embarrassed, Miley admitted that yep, she loves him. Alright! (Uh, we're hoping the couple has already exchanged the L-word at home, or that's gonna be one awkward meetup later.)
But once the cat was out of the bag, Miley was ready to gush about her boyfriend — happily announcing that her family adores him, and clearing up the comment she made to Teen Vogue about the two of them being "deeper" than most people. After explaining that she hadn't been talking about being "like, smarter, or anything", she said, "We're very ambitious and have some of the same goals."
Oh, OK. Moving on!
Miley recently traveled to Australia and met Liam's family, prompting questions about the seriousness of the relationship and the observation that it was the sort of thing a couple might do before getting... well, you know.
Now it was Miley's turn to sport the "bitch, please" expression. "I'M NOT GETTING MARRIED," she said loudly, holding up a hand and rolling her eyes heavenward. "DON'T GET CRAZY!"
OK, OK! With any further relationship gossip clearly kibosh-ed, the talk turned to Miley's role in "The Last Song." In the movie, she plays a piano prodigy who abandons her instrument in the wake of her parents' divorce — a quintessential act of teenage rebellion. In her own life, has she ever felt that same need to rebel?
In a word: Nope. Said Miley, "My mom and dad are so cool about that. They want me to be my own person."
In fact, the most rebellious thing the star has done in the past couple years was a disappointment not to her parents, but to the general public: Her decision to cancel her Twitter account. Rumors abounded at the time that Liam had asked her to shut it down, but Miley explained that it was her choice.
"As much as it doesn't seem like it, I do try to be private. I feel like I was so often, like, 'Everyone knows my life, I can't be normal.'"
Finally, we were treated to a clip from the movie that features mud-covered Miley and her man in a playful argument; the scene makes it clear that the couple has great chemistry both off and on-screen. But Miley isn't afraid to take on the challenge of a role that pairs her with someone other than her IRL boyfriend, and with "Hannah Montana" entering its final season, she says that we can expect to see more of her in Hollywood -- after her next record comes out in June, she'll be abandoning music for the time being and looking to do more film work.
Are you looking forward to seeing "The Last Song"?

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