Leibovitz Defends 'Classy' Cyrus Photos

Posted: 2008-04-28 16:12:23

Filed Under: Celeb Body Issues, Movie News, Music News, TV News

LOS ANGELES (April 28) - Miley Cyrus is taking issue with a photo of herself that's going around, and it's not another amateur, truth-or-dare Internet snapshot - it's the handiwork of Annie Leibovitz.

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"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 says of pictures that appear in the new issue of Vanity Fair.

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Vanity Fair editors say "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. In fact, when Bruce Handy interviewed Miley, he asked her about the photo and she was very cheerful about it and thought it was perfectly fine."

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For someone who said "I never intended for any of this to happen," Cyrus seemed to be enjoying herself at the Vanity Fair photo shoot. See more photos on Egotastic.com.

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"I was so honored and thrilled to work with (longtime Vanity Fair photographer) Annie [Leibovitz]," Cyrus tells PEOPLE. See more photos on Egotastic.com.

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Just last week, photos of Cyrus flashing her bra and pulling up her shirt while draped across the lap of a male furthered the speculation that the singer-actress sensation may be more PG-13 or R than G-rated.

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"The pictures of me on the Internet were silly, inappropriate shots." adds Cyrus about last week's photo scandal. The leaked pics didn't make a dent. Her 'Best of Both Worlds' CD was ranked near the top of the charts last week.

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Photos of Cyrus in provocative poses first leaked near the end of January to gossip sites like TopSocialite.com.

"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."

The photos, appearing in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair, were taken by Leibovitz, a renowned celebrity photographer whose edgy, silver-toned portraits have included subjects such as Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson and a naked, pregnant Demi Moore.

"I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted," Leibovitz said in a statement released by Vanity Fair. "Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together and we discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful."

The Cyrus pictures accompany an interview with the 15-year-old pop star and her father, singer Billy Ray Cyrus. One photo in particular is causing the biggest stir: the teen idol is wrapped in what appears to be a satin bedsheet, looking over her shoulder with her back exposed.

The Disney Channel, which airs Cyrus' TV show "Hannah Montana," was also critical of Vanity Fair.

"Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines," a network statement said.

Vanity Fair defended the story and photo shoot in a statement of its own.

"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."

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Is Miley
the New Britney?

1 of 10

In her heyday, Britney Spears reigned supreme over the teen girl landscape with hit after hit and tons of attention and adoration. Now that she's fallen on hard times, Miley Cyrus seems poised to take her spot as the hot female phenomenon. A look at each girls' path to stardom reveals many similarities between the two.

In a caption released by Vanity Fair with the photo, Cyrus expressed her comfort with how the apparently topless picture turned out.

"I think it's really artsy," she told the magazine at the time. "It wasn't in a skanky way. Annie took, like, a beautiful shot, and I thought that was really cool. That's what she wanted me to do, and you can't say no to Annie."

A handful of borderline racy snapshots of a girl who appeared to be Cyrus have appeared on the Internet in recent months, including images of a girl posing in her underwear and bikini last week. In one shot, she's draped over a young man.

Cyrus is one of the biggest - and most G-rated - acts in the country and is often considered a role model for young girls. Her "Best of Both Worlds" tour sold out arenas, and her successful 3-D concert film collected $31.3 million in its opening weekend in February.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2008-04-27 21:16:47

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4804 comments

kittyk600 10:57:34 AM Jun 11 2008

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I'm not sure what to belive, of her anymore.
was it intentional, or not, for the pic. to turn out this way?

bunnyblueweezy 03:09:46 PM Jun 07 2008

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these people r crazy i mean if u look at these 15 year old gurls now they are wild and just for the record she is never going to be like brittney not at all miley i still like u.and i am 16 gurl u keep doing u. u are a star

kittiecat585 11:58:47 PM May 20 2008

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man like i really dont like miley cyrus but i think she's really preety and how the heck was that like a naked pic.. it was just her back showing ppls.. and kids prob see that everydayon other shows ... sooo even thoguh i hate miley cyrus i think ppls are over reacting to this... she will never end up like britney spears.. i know that for sure cause shes smarter than that.. her parents made sure of that.. tht was the only reason

SkitzoPixieChick 12:02:04 AM May 13 2008

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Jesus Christ, the girl is 15 years old! She's waaaay too young to be posing provactively. I don't think it makes her a **** or anything, but most of her fans are even younger than she is. My cousins, who are 5 and 7, adore her...that's certainly not the kind of thing I want them seeing and thinking is okay at 15!!

angelbreal 12:55:02 PM May 10 2008

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i dnt think therse n e thang wrong wit these pics personaly but thatz juz me

bemicester 11:39:50 AM May 10 2008

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I AM 1 OF YOUR BIGGEST FANS AND NOTHING WILL CHANGE WHAT I THINK OF YOU!
YOU ROCK!!!
P.S. YOU WILL NEVER BECOME BRITTANY SPEARS!
Plus she didn't mean the photos to be taken in a bad way! And she said she was sorry if you read the stuff under the pictures!

bemicester 11:34:59 AM May 10 2008

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I AM 1 OF YOUR BIGGEST FANS AND NOTHING WILL CHANGE WHAT I THINK OF YOU!
YOU ROCK!!!
P.S. YOU WILL NEVER BECOME BRITTANY SPEARS!

xxHaYhAyx 05:47:38 PM May 09 2008

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**** NO ONE LIKES U ANYMORE!

rmattio24 12:14:39 PM May 09 2008

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i mean just people not dumb sooooooooooo sorry

rmattio24 12:12:58 PM May 09 2008

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hey miley,
I know the real story so all the dumb people dont know anything and I will always love you 4 who u r. and no u r not the NEW BRITNEY SPEARS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jonas1fan13itsme 06:21:06 PM May 08 2008

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I luv Miley. I know she will never end up like brittney spears she's better than that. N i bet that the pics u look at r the fake one's! so STOP judgin her. jus cuz shes acting the way that all 15 year olds act! I am her biggest fan and i always will be. no matter much u think she's done wrong!