HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — For the second time in less than a week, Miley Cyrus is doing damage control around her public image.
This time, however, the “Hannah Montana” star is apologizing to her fans after taking part in a photo shoot with notorious photographer Annie Leibovitz for an upcoming issue of Vanity Fair magazine.
“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,” Cyrus said Sunday in a statement through her publicist. “I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about.”
In one photo, Cyrus is seen with a blanket wrapped around her chest. The interview with the Disney star also includes her father, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.
The actions by Vanity Fair have also raised the ire of Disney executives.
“Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines,” the network said in a statement.
The fallout comes on the heels of racy photos that closely resemble the teen superstar making the rounds on the Web last week. In one photo, a girl is seen with her midriff showing as she sits on top of what appears to be a teenage boy. Another less-revealing photo shows the same pair cuddling up, while a third pictures has the girl appearing to pull down a white tank top to expose her green bra. Fox News host Bill O’Reilly went as far as to suggest a “conference” to discuss the images.
In a statement to “Entertainment Tonight,” Vanity Fair rigorously denied any wrongdoing.
“Miley’s parents and/or minders were on the set all day,” the magazine said. “Since the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural portrait of Miley.”
