Last night was the big premiere of The Last Song, the weepy, wrought family drama/teen romance film starring Miley Cyrus and her boyfriend Liam Hemsworth. I have to give it to Miley, she actually looked really nice and sweet for the premiere. Even though that dress is mostly leather. But it’s a good cut! And she looks covered up and pretty, so I forgive the leather. Liam looked handsome too. They actually looked like…(gasp)… a very attractive young couple who “dressed up” in a classy way for a professional event. Well done!

Before I get to the other people at the premiere, I just wanted to share this new Miley Cyrus interview from The Telegraph. I’ve noted in the past few weeks that it seems like Miley is maturing in a really interesting, unpredictable way. Her interviews as of late have been remarkably candid, honest and interesting. However, she’s still the girl who owns dozens of pairs of booty shorts, talks like she’s mid gum-smack, and in the words of The Telegraph writer, “She talks quickly in a deep, husky voice and opinions, thoughts and ideas tumble from her, liberally interspersed with “likes” and “you knows.”” This piece had some good quotes (full piece here):

On the scandals that have surrounded her: “Every career thing I do can’t be perfect and sometimes my decisions are wrong,” she admitted frankly. “I always say the minute I stop making mistakes is the minute I stop learning and I’ve definitely learned a lot. When you’re a pop star or whatever you always have ‘people.’ You always hear, ‘my people will call your people’ but you can’t let your people talk for you all the time because you’re the only person who knows yourself and what you truly want.”

On Liam Hemsworth: “He’s a 6ft 4in tall Australian surfer and I’m 5ft 4in from Tennessee and I couldn’t surf if someone gave me ten million dollars so we couldn’t be more opposite,” she laughed. “But I went to Australia to visit him and his family and I was like, ‘Omigosh, this looks like Nashville.’ There were like cows everywhere. I am like, ‘how are you from the opposite side of the planet and your world looks just like mine?’ My dad’s just happy that I have something going on in my life with someone normal. No psychos, so that’s good.” She chuckles throatily.

On the end of Hannah Montana: “We’re halfway into the last season and it’s kind of bittersweet for me,” said Miley. “It’s like my security blanket, my comfort zone: I know that’s where I’m going to be from 8.30am to 6pm. I’ve always had the show to lean on, and to not have it to lean on in the future will be different for me, so who knows?”

On filming The Last Song: “It came up at a crazy time because I had a tour, I was working on the show and I thought it might be impossible to fit it in, but it all fell into place. It was perfect, because that’s what this movie’s about: things coming together so beautifully against all odds.”

On needing acting lessons: “I’ve not taken like acting lessons or anything but it doesn’t mean I don’t need to because I’m sure I do,” she said. “Once I watch this film in the theatre I’m probably going to go book an acting coach.”

On her career choices from here: “I’m kind of bipolar in my acting choices because I just want to do a little bit of everything,” she said. “One day I’m telling my mom, you know, I want to do an action movie and then I want to be doing comedy and then all different types of things. I get a little bored so hopefully I’ll get a chance to do a little bit of everything.”

[From The Telegraph]

See? I’m finding it harder not to like her. While I’ve never really gathered an opinion of Miley as an actress beyond “annoying” or “meh,” I like that she’s coming out ahead of the potential criticism of her acting chops and being honest about maybe needing a coach. Of course, if she’s still pulling that line three years from now, it will start to be not so cute and not so refreshing. So I hope Miley sticks by it and actually begins to take her “craft” seriously.

Beyond Miley and Liam, there were lots of other interesting people at the premiere. There was Greg Kinnear and his shameface at being in a Miley movie, there was John Travolta and Kelly Preston (who is in the movie). Sidenote: Do you think Miley is being recruited for Xenu? I hope not. And of course, there were assorted members of the Cyrus family. Here’s Miley’s little sister Noah:

And The Mullet and Tish:

And Trace and Brandi Cyrus (ARRHHH!!!):

‘The Last Song’ LA premiere on March 25, 2010. Credit: WENN.