18 Fascinating Things About Miley Cyrus Who Just Turned 18

Pop princess Miley Cyrus marks a big milestone in her life on Tuesday, November 23 - the pop star turns 18. The daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and his now-estranged wife Tish, Miley was always destined for a life in the spotlight.

Since finding fame as "Hannah Montana" in 2006, she has gained a loyal fan following around the world and is now a successful solo singer. To say Happy Birthday to Miley, WENN has compiled 18 fascinating facts about the teen star:

1. Born on November 23, 1992, she was christened Destiny Hope Cyrus. Her childhood nickname Smiley - referencing her cheerful demeanor and ever-present grin - was later shortened to Miley, and she stuck with the moniker.
2. Her parents married when she was just a month old.
3. Her revenge track "Seven Things" is said to have been written about ex-boyfriend Nick Jonas.
4. She celebrated her 16th birthday at Disneyland in California, which was closed to allow Miley to chill out with friends, family and lucky fans.
5. She sports a number of tattoos, including the word 'Love' on her ear and the phrase 'Just Breathe' on her chest. She also has her nose pierced.
6. Her big break playing Miley Stewart in "Hannah Montana" almost never happened - "Gossip Girl" star Taylor Momsen was also in the running for the role.
7. Cyrus has gained an impressive haul of trophies - she's won 13 Teen Choice Awards and five Kids' Choice Awards.
8. Her celebrity fans include John Travolta and Stephen Baldwin, who had Cyrus' initials tattooed on his arm in exchange for a cameo on "Hannah Montana".
9. She was inspired to become an actress after seeing a production of "Mamma Mia!" in Canada in 2001, but, before she hit the big time, Cyrus had a more normal job - she helped out at the Sparkles Cleaning Service.
10. The singer/actress published her autobiography, Miles to Go, at the tender age of 16.
11. She rang in 2009 by performing a special gig at a high school gym.
12. Aged 15, Cyrus provoked a storm of fury from parenting groups after appearing in an Annie Leibovitz spread for Vanity Fair magazine wearing just a sheet wrapped around her bare back and chest.
13. Cyrus landed a cameo in the "Sex and the City" movie sequel, in which she wore the same dress as Kim Cattrall's character on the red carpet for a comedy scene.
14. The singer loves to surprise her young fans - last year she popped in to a London school to give pupils lessons on how to be a star and earlier this month, she visited an elementary school in Derby, England to meet two big fans.
15. She teamed up with fashion guru Max Azria for her line Miley Cyrus & Max Azria, which was stocked in Wal-Mart stores across the U.S.
16. Cyrus devastated millions of young fans when she quit Twitter.com in 2009.
17. The teenager showed off her charitable side last month by clearing out her closet and donating all her unwanted clothes to a homeless shelter in Los Angeles.
18. She celebrated her 18th birthday with a celebrity party after the American Music Awards on Sunday night, November 21. Guests included Demi Moore and her daughter Rumer Willis

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