Jimmy Kimmel Consults a Disney Legend for Tips On How to Win Coveted Award

He also could have asked Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, or many others.
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Jimmy Kimmel had Disney Legend Miley Cyrus on his show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! Last night, and was looking for some insider tips on how to throw his hat into the running for the award next time around.

What’s Happening:

  • On last night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, special guest Miley Cyrus joined host Jimmy Kimmel at his desk to talk about all kinds of things, including Cyrus’s status as a Disney Legend.
  • Cyrus was awarded the coveted title at last year’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California and explained to Kimmel that it was the heaviest award that she ever got.
  • Kimmel went on to ask how he, who has had his show at the Disney-owned network for 22 years, can become a Disney Legend himself.
  • Cyrus said she’s been working at the company “since infancy", and Kimmel clarified that he was not challenging her status, but wondering why he hasn’t been named one when “everyone else who works here" has been given the award.
  • You can catch the conversation in full in the video from the late-night talk show below.

  • While Cyrus explained that the statue she got is quite heavy, she also said the title means she gets to hang out with other cool people - naming Jamie Lee Curtis and Harrison Ford specifically, both of whom were awarded the Disney Legend title in 2024 in the same class as Cyrus.
  • First established in 1987, the Disney Legend title is a hall of fame of sorts of those who have made a significant impact on the legacy of The Walt Disney Company. Originally awarded during a private ceremony, the Disney Legend award has been a major part of the D23 Expos, which have taken place biannually since 2009.
  • In the interview, Cyrus describes her heavy statue, designed by Imagineer Andrea Faviili, featuring Mickey’s arm holding a star-tipped wand.
  • The Walt Disney Archives say that the award statue features three distinct elements that characterize the contributions made by each recipient. The Spiral - stands for imagination, the power of an idea. The Hand - holds the gifts of skill, discipline and craftsmanship. The Wand and the Star - represent magic: the spark that is ignited when imagination and skill combine to create a new dream.
  • The first ever of these awards went to Fred MacMurray, for his film contributions to the company, including The Shaggy Dog and The Absent-Minded Professor among others.
  • Cyrus was inducted into the class of 2024, alongside names like the aforementioned Harrison Ford and Jamie Lee Curtis, as well as Imagineer Joe Rohde and Disney Parks Cast Member Martha Blanding.
  • There have no announcements made regarding Kimmel being inducted as a Disney Legend at this time.

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Tony Betti
Originally from California where he studied a dying artform (hand-drawn animation), Tony has spent most of his adult life in the theme parks of Orlando. When he’s not writing for LP, he’s usually watching and studying something animated or arguing about “the good ole’ days” at the parks.
View all articles by Tony Betti