'I was told what a girl is supposed to be': Miley Cyrus reveals playing Hannah Montana gave her body image issues

By Heather Waugh For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:22 EST, 13 August 2015 | Updated: 18:57 EST, 13 August 2015

She rose to fame in 2006 playing perky pop princess Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel.

And while there can be no doubt these days that Miley Cyrus is comfortable in her own skin, the 22-year-old recently reflected on the negative impact the daily pressures of playing the teenage character had on her.

The songstress told Marie Claire: 'I was told for so long what a girl is supposed to be from being on that show' and revealed that she developed serious body image issues while trying to fit the part. 

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Pressures: Miley Cyrus has opened up to Marie Claire about how playing 'blonde and perfect' Hannah Montana affected her body image in a negative way

Pressures: Miley Cyrus has opened up to Marie Claire about how playing 'blonde and perfect' Hannah Montana affected her body image in a negative way

'From the time I was 11, it was, "You're a pop star! That means you have to be blonde, and you have to have long hair, and you have to put on some glittery tight thing."' she said. 

The daughter of Billy Ray revealed she was working 12 hour days on set and would have coffee 'jammed down her throat' to get her up and moving. 

'Meanwhile, I'm this fragile little girl playing a 16-year-old in a wig and a ton of makeup. It was like I had f***ing flippers.'   

'I had been made pretty every day': The 22-year-old star said that she had to look like someone she wasn't when she played the pop star for four seasons from 2006 - 2011

'I had been made pretty every day': The 22-year-old star said that she had to look like someone she wasn't when she played the pop star for four seasons from 2006 - 2011

'Meanwhile, I'm this fragile little girl playing a 16-year-old in a wig and a ton of makeup' the singer said of being thrust into the spotlight at 11

'Meanwhile, I'm this fragile little girl playing a 16-year-old in a wig and a ton of makeup' the singer said of being thrust into the spotlight at 11

'I was made to look like someone that I wasn't, which probably caused some body dysmorphia because I had been made pretty every day for so long, and then when I wasn't on that show, it was like, "Who the f*** am I?"

'While the Party In The USA singer had shed the long blonde hair, favouring cropped locks and edgier ensembles, the pressure to look a certain way still gets her down. 

Miley said: 'When you look at retouched, perfect photos, you feel like s**t. They lighten black girls' skin. They smooth out wrinkles. Even when I get stuck on Instagram wondering, "Why don't I look like that?" It's a total bummer. It's crazy what people have decided we're all supposed to be.'  

Being herself: The Wrecking Ball singer says she has no interest in conforming to today's beauty standards but still gets down when she looks at retouched photos

Being herself: The Wrecking Ball singer says she has no interest in conforming to today's beauty standards but still gets down when she looks at retouched photos

Not so Hannah Montana: The performer has evolved into her own brand of pop star far removed from her Disney days. She is pictured on stage in Chicago in August last year

Not so Hannah Montana: The performer has evolved into her own brand of pop star far removed from her Disney days. She is pictured on stage in Chicago in August last year

But the singer refuses to conform to today's beauty standards.

'I'm probably never going to be the face of a traditional beauty company unless they want a weed-smoking, liberal-ass freak,'

'But my dream was never to sell lip gloss. My dream is to save the world.' 

Miley's interview features in the September issue of Marie Claire which hits newsstands August 18. 

Shining star: Miley features on the cover of Marie Claire for its September issue which hits newsstands August 18

Shining star: Miley features on the cover of Marie Claire for its September issue which hits newsstands August 18

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