Jason Earles is finally opening up about a major secret he kept while auditioning for one of Disney Channel’s most iconic shows.
During the March 17 pilot episode of the “Best of Both Our Worlds: The Official, Unofficial Hannah Montana Podcast,” the actor revealed that he lied about his age to land the role of Jackson Stewart on “Hannah Montana”—a secret he managed to keep even after the cameras started rolling.
Jason Earles Lied About His Age During His ‘Hannah Montana’ Audition
Getty“So when I auditioned for the show, I lied to them and told them I was 18 years old, Earles, 48, said on the podcast he co-hosts with acting coach and director Shannon Flynn and writer and executive producer Douglas Danger Lieblein.
Earles, who was actually 28 at the time of his audition, said he told the casting team he was 18. At the time, the character of Jackson was meant to be a teenager, making Earles significantly older than the role he was going for.
“I almost didn’t audition for the show because I was like, ‘I’m too old. Nobody’s going to buy it,'” he said.
According to Earles, a casting director was even aware of the situation and encouraged him to stick with a younger age during the audition process.
“She was like, ‘Hey, I know you’re 19 … would you lie and tell them that you’re 18?'” Earles said, adding that he had also lied to her about his age at the time. “And I was like, ‘I think I can do that.'”
The Truth Came Out Midway Through Season 1
GettyDespite the lie, Earles landed the role and kept his real age under wraps for several episodes. The truth didn’t come out until around the eighth episode of the first season, Lieblein added.
“I remember one of the higher-up network executives showed up … and he was like, ‘Hey, so you’re 28,'” Earles recalled. “And I was like, ‘I am.'”
Instead of losing the role or being penalized, Earles said the reveal ultimately worked in his favor.
An executive producer later on told Earles that if the truth had come out earlier in the process, the show would have probably gone in a different direction.
“He said, ‘Thank you so much for lying to us because we would have gotten nervous … and we would have to recast you,'” Earles shared.
Why Jason Earles’ Secret Actually Helped ‘Hannah Montana’
GettyIn the end, Earles’ age may have been a part of what made his performance work so well.
Lieblein said Earles’ maturity helped him “lead by example” on set while still fitting in with the younger cast.
“The kids thought you were a kid,” he said. “The show wouldn’t have been the same show without you.”
Earles agreed, saying he fully leaned into playing a teenager.
“I acted like a kid,” he said. “We all get to about 16 years old and we stopped maturing anyway. So it was fun to sort of get to go and re-experience.”
A Secret He Kept for Years
Earles joked that his real age became something he kept from the public for years—even as fans watched him play a high schooler on Disney Channel.
He recalled moments where people assumed he was much younger than he actually was, including while out in public with his then-wife.
“I remember going to dinner with my wife at the time and people coming up and saying, ‘You must be so proud of your son.’ Yeah. And I was like, ‘Well, all right. Sex is off the table tonight. Thank you. I appreciate that,'” Earles said jokingly.
Now, two decades after “Hannah Montana” first premiered and ahead of the show’s 20th anniversary special, Earles is finally sharing the story behind the role—proving that one small lie helped shape a Disney Channel classic. Sweet niblets!
