Peter Gunn says Miley Cyrus is the hardest-working star he has ever appeared alongside.
The 55-year-old actor plays hapless teacher Brian Packham on the ITV soap, but before stepping foot on the cobbles he appeared as Oswald Granger in 2009’s ‘Hannah Montana: The Movie’ opposite the then-15-year-old pop star – and he was impressed with how she played gigs across America in between filming the motion picture.
He said: "I have never experienced anyone work so hard and be so disciplined, and she was just 15.
"There were loads of songs in the movie and she never mimed once. She belted it out every single time.
"We would do five days on the movie set and then weekends off. On a Friday Miley would get on a private jet and fly to whatever stadium in the States to do two concerts at the weekend, then she’d be back on set on Monday at 7am word perfect."
Peter’s pal Peter Chelsom, who directed the film, suggested he would be perfect to portray journalist Oswald, but he eventually had his mum to thank for him being able to take on the role after some red tape nearly meant he couldn’t act in the US.
He added to Mirror Online: "A Disney attorney tried to convince the Screen Actors’ Guild to let me in but you have to make a case that you are the best actor for the job and have evidence.
"I remembered my mum had a scrap book called ‘Peter’s progress’ – every scrap of work I’ve ever done was in there.
"I digitised it and sent it to America. And the attorney was like, ‘This is gold dust, Peter, thanks to your mom.’
"To apply for my visa I went down to the embassy all suited and booted, expecting to be interviewed.
"I sat down in this booth and the lady just said, ‘So, Hannah Montanna’.
"So I said ‘yes’, and she said, ‘have a great time’ and stamped my documents. That is the power of Hannah Montana."
Peter Gunn praises hard-working Miley Cyrus
