For the generation raised by Hannah Montana, it is a truth widely acknowledged that Miley Cyrus has always been the 'it' girl. During the 20th anniversary celebrations of the top-rated Disney show, several of Cyrus' co-stars came forward to recall their glory days and how a teen girl from Nashville, Tennessee, earned fame and became the best of both worlds. Shanica Knowles, who starred as Amber in the series, has recently gushed about the pop sensation's ethics and integrity, which she had cultivated right from an early age.

Knowles' heartfelt note on spending her Disney days with Cyrus packs in a deluge of nostalgia for millions who grew up with these stars after school.

Taking to her Instagram, Shanica Knowles recounted her younger days spent with Miley Cyrus on and off the set of Disney's Hannah Montana. Knowles remembered a teen Cyrus ripe with an 'it' factor who seamlessly landed the leading role without any prior acting experience. She was taken aback by the predicament; however, it made sense when she got to know Cyrus.

"Like, how does that happen, right? But when I worked with her, it made sense. She just had the “IT” factor... [Cyrus] was relatable to anyone she met, and always had this bright light that lit up any room she walked in," Knowles wrote on her Instagram.

The actress praised the pop star's work ethic, leadership qualities, kindness, and down-to-earth charisma. Knowles also called Cyrus a natural comedian while recalling their nostalgic sleepovers and songwriting sessions.

"The world may see you as Miley Cyrus, but I’ll always see you as the girl I had fun slumber parties with, wrote songs together with, talked about boys together with, and stayed up all night laughing on the phone with. I’ll always see you as just…Miley," Knowles added, concluding her post. However, it was not just Cyrus who remained indelible in Knowles' memory.

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As the Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special drew in millions of viewers, a new wave of Disney nostalgia hit social media. Knowles' moving post reminiscing moments with her co-stars surely contributed to the celebratory waterworks online.

Apart from Miley Cyrus, who played the lead, Miley Stewart a.k.a Hannah Montana, Shanica Knowles praised her other co-stars such as Moises Arias, Jason Earles, Cody Linley, and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle Kline, who formed the core cast of the series. For the very few unversed, a hilariously sinister young Arias starred as Rico Suave, while Jason Earles played the chaotic older Stewart brother, Jackson.

Cody Linley starred as Miley's main love interest, Jake Ryan, in the first few seasons, and Kline played Seaview High School mean girl Ashley DeWitt, alongside Knowles as her fellow mean girl bestie, Amber Addison. The 20th anniversary special of Hannah Montana reportedly drew in 6.3 million viewers in three days, largely owing to mass nostalgia, as evident in Knowles' letter to the cast. It is currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

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What are your thoughts on Shanica Knowles praising her co-stars? Let us know in the comments.