It is funny how we remember things. You look back at a masterpiece like Tim Burton’s 2003 Southern gothic fantasy and you remember the giant, the circus, or that heartbreaking ending with the river. But most people completely blink and miss the big fish film miley cyrus connection. Honestly, it is one of those "wait, really?" moments that hits you once you see the credits.
Long before the blonde wig of Hannah Montana or the wrecking balls, there was just a ten-year-old girl named Destiny.
Why the Big Fish Film Miley Cyrus Role Was Her Real Start
Before she was a global pop icon, Miley Cyrus was a kid living in Toronto while her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, filmed the TV show Doc. She had a few tiny appearances there, but her leap into cinema happened because of Tim Burton. In the 2003 film Big Fish, she plays a character named Ruthie.
If you haven't seen it lately, Ruthie is one of the neighborhood kids in the flashback sequences involving a young Edward Bloom. She’s part of the pack that ventures out to the old house to see the Witch, played by Helena Bonham Carter. You’ve probably seen the scene: the kids are terrified, daring each other to look into the Witch’s glass eye to see how they’re going to die.
Miley—credited as Destiny Cyrus—is the only girl in that little group of brave (and terrified) children.
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She doesn't have a massive monologue. She isn't the "big fish" of the story. But she’s right there, wearing a simple dress, her face round and youthful, showing that natural spark that would eventually make her the biggest teen star on the planet. It’s a tiny role, but it’s her first real movie credit. It basically proves that even at ten, she had that "it" factor that caught the eye of one of Hollywood’s most eccentric directors.
The "Destiny" Credit and Why People Forget
The main reason nobody talks about the big fish film miley cyrus appearance is the name. If you scroll through the end credits looking for "Miley," you won't find it.
She was born Destiny Hope Cyrus.
Her parents gave her that name because they believed she’d do great things—no pressure, right?—but everyone called her "Smiley" because she grinned so much as a baby. Eventually, that got shortened to Miley. By the time Hannah Montana premiered in 2006, the world knew her as Miley. But in 2003? She was just Destiny.
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It is sort of poetic, actually. She starts her career in a movie about legends, tall tales, and the blurred lines between reality and fiction, all while using a name she would eventually leave behind for a stage persona.
A Quick Breakdown of the Ruthie Role
- Age at filming: Roughly 10 years old.
- Character Name: Ruthie.
- Key Scene: The "Witch’s Eye" sequence in the swamp.
- Credit name: Destiny Cyrus.
How Tim Burton Beat Disney to the Punch
We usually associate Miley’s "discovery" with the Disney Channel. But Tim Burton actually beat them to it by three years.
Casting a kid for a minor role in a big-budget Sony Pictures movie isn't usually a "star-is-born" moment, but looking back, it’s wild to see her in such a high-caliber ensemble. We are talking about a movie that featured Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Jessica Lange, and Danny DeVito. Even in a small cameo, being on that set had to be a masterclass for a young performer.
I think that's why she looks so comfortable on camera later on. She wasn't just some kid off the street; she had already been on a Tim Burton set. That environment—full of practical effects, giant sets, and weird, wonderful storytelling—probably felt like home.
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Rewatching Big Fish Through a New Lens
If you go back and watch Big Fish today, it feels different. The movie is already a tear-jerker. It deals with the relationship between a dying father who tells impossible stories and a son who just wants the truth.
When you spot Miley in those early scenes, it adds this weird layer of "meta" storytelling. Here is a girl who would grow up to be one of the most photographed and talked-about people in the world, playing a nameless neighborhood kid in a story about how we become the stories we tell.
Honestly, the big fish film miley cyrus cameo is the ultimate "No Small Parts" example.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re a fan of her music or just a movie buff who loves trivia, you kind of have to go back and find her. It’s a fun treasure hunt. Here is how to do it properly:
- Find the 4K or Blu-ray version: The detail is much better, and you can actually see her facial expressions in the swamp scene.
- Look for the Witch scene: It happens early in the film during the first major flashback of Edward Bloom’s childhood.
- Check the credits: Look for "Destiny Cyrus" specifically. It’s a cool piece of history.
Most people skip the credits or ignore the "kids in the background" roles. But in this case, that little girl in the swamp was destined for something much bigger than a small-town legend. She became the legend.
Go watch the "Witch's Eye" scene again. You’ll see a familiar grin on a very young Ruthie, and you'll realize that even in a movie filled with giants and werewolves, the biggest star was hiding in plain sight as a ten-year-old girl from Tennessee.