Jason Earles has confirmed a long-running piece of Disney Channel lore: he told producers he was younger to win the role of Jackson Stewart on Hannah Montana. He revealed the full story on the March 17 episode of his Best of Both Worlds podcast — a confession that revisits why adult actors so often portray teens on Disney shows.
What happened
Earles said he lied about his age when he auditioned, telling casting and production he was 18 even though he was actually 28 at the time. The goal was simple: make the 16-year-old Jackson Stewart believable on screen.
How the ruse started — and who helped
According to Earles, casting director Lisa London encouraged the smaller age during a prior audition and suggested he keep that story when he met Hannah Montana producers. “When I auditioned for the show, I lied to them and told them I was 18 years old,” he told listeners.
When the truth came out
Earles said network executives didn’t notice until about halfway through the first season. He recalled being confronted by a higher-up who asked point-blank about his age and marital status. Earles said he admitted he was 28 and that he was married, and the executive essentially asked him to keep the rest quiet so the show wouldn’t have to recast.
Why it matters now
The revelation matters because it confirms a long-observed pattern in youth-focused TV: older actors often play younger roles. Fans had already noticed the age gap for years, making Earles’ account one of the most persistent bits of Hannah Montana trivia.
Fan and industry reaction
The story has been a staple of Disney Channel lore and resurfaced in headlines after Earles’ podcast. For many viewers the confession explains why his performance as the goofy older brother felt so convincingly teenaged, despite the real-life age difference.
What’s next
Earles’ comments came on his March 17 podcast episode; listeners can hear his full recollection on Best of Both Worlds. Beyond that, the anecdote is likely to appear in retrospectives about Hannah Montana as the series continues to be reexamined by new audiences and nostalgia-focused coverage.
For fans and TV watchers, Earles’ admission underscores how casting choices and behind-the-scenes decisions shape the shows people remember — and why some on-screen ages don’t always match reality.