Miley Cyrus Aims For 'Smarter' Image

It's "Hannah Montana" Week here at MTV News! Check back here every day leading up to the flick's Friday opening for exclusive Miley Cyrus interviews, videos and more.

At the ripe old age of 16, Miley Cyrus has shared her fair share of drama in the spotlight. Whether she's being criticized for what guy she's dating, or how she looks or if a photo spread is too mature for a girl of her years, the "Hannah Montana" star insists that she isn't naive about just what is going on, even if the public thinks she is.

"I almost feel like people think of me as dumb," Cyrus told Reuters. "I'm like, I'm smarter than you think. You know, I understand what you're trying to do. It's all a mind game and what not."

Cyrus said she fears that people "will almost think of me as a joke" because of her start as a fresh-faced Disney star and hopes that future roles will help her prove that she's not just some girl who can play a hyper-stylized version of herself. Her first step in that direction will be the Nicholas Sparks movie written especially for her.

Despite her desire for more grown-up big-screen roles, Cyrus isn't exactly ready to grow up in real life. And she isn't shy to admit that there are times when she needs the support of her parents, including her famous dad, Billy Ray.

"At times I feel I'm very mature for my age, but other times I feel very immature. I still like to sleep with my parents sometimes," she told Glamour. "I'll go into their bedroom and snuggle with my mom, because I've been working all day and haven't seen her. Or my dad will give me a piggyback ride. I'm not around other people my age that much, so I don't know how 16-year-olds are supposed to act! I just do what feels right."

Check out everything we've got on "Hannah Montana: The Movie."

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