Executives at the Disney Channel are furious about the shot, which is a far cry from the star’s usual squeaky-clean image.
(NEW YORK) - 15-year-old Miley Cyrus, teen idol and star of the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana, was pictured half-nude and topless, with only a satin sheet or blanket protecting her modesty for the June issue of Vanity Fair.
The photo was taken by famed celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz.
Cyrus said that she was happy with the shot, declaring it "really artsy". But she has had a change of heart now that the picture is in the public domain.
"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about," she said in a statement.
Executives at the Disney Channel are furious about the shot, which is a far cry from the star’s usual squeaky-clean image.
A spokesman for the network said: "Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines."
But Vanity Fair defended the photo in this statement:
"Miley’s parents and/or minders were on the set all day. Since the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural portrait of Miley."
Miley's sister, 8-year-old Noah, was at the shoot, along with father multi-platinum recording artist Billy Ray Cyrus.
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