Will Miley Succumb to the Child Actor Curse?

This article was originally published by Technorati on 20 March 2010. To see all my Technorati articles, click Lifestyle in the Contents listing on the sidebar.

Is Miley Cyrus the next great child star waiting to flame out? All signs point to no.

In a recent Parade interview, she gave some insight into her own spirituality as well as her spiritual heritage.

With over $1 billion in earnings and a net worth of $50 million, Miley, unlike many other children of Hollywood who seem to have no foundation in faith of any sort, has her feet well-planted on the ground of another world.

Not only has her father, Billie Ray, famously not forgotten his Kentucky roots, attending church regularly (even driving the money-changing paparazzi from the temple grounds on occasion), but the faith of her God-mother, fellow Tennessean Dolly Parton, is well-documented.

Dolly's advice, according to Miley: "She always tells me just to do what I love and if I'm not having fun it's not working." Wise words, echoing those of Confucius: "Since there is no sure road [to riches], I tread the path I love."

Of her own faith, Miley says: "The one thing I'm really strong about regarding my religious beliefs is that you should know a little bit about everything before you define your own beliefs."

She's also big on forgiveness: "It's all about forgiveness. If God who created the world can forgive you then you can forgive yourself."

Liberal leaning, as most 17-year-old girls who grow up in Hollywood and have a net worth of $50 million tend to be, she has a professed addiction to RuPaul, supports Gay marriage and aligns herself with the Democratic party. Regardless of how one feels about these issues, it is Miley's connection to a different part of the world that will anchor her.

Perhaps the same connection has played a role in the success of Johnny Depp and George Clooney, both of whom started out young in the business, and both of whom are Kentucky natives like Miley's father.