'I am ready to impress!' Miley Cyrus' daring proposal to James Cameron that landed her a songwriting job on 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'

Miley Cyrus revealed that she aimed to channel a "full Cline Dion" style for her original track "Dream as One", which plays during the end credits of Avatar: Fire and Ash. "I thought, forget Miley Cyrus!" she joked. "But James Cameron wanted it to be authentically me. I knew I could deliver that better than anyone, so I went for it."

Cyrus shared the backstory of the song after a Thursday screening of the third Avatar installment at the DGA Theatre in Hollywood. The opportunity came about unexpectedly during a Disney Legends ceremony in August 2024. While waiting in line behind Harrison Ford, Jamie Lee Curtis, and James Cameron, Cyrus seized the moment to pitch herself for music projects. "I told them I was available for music work and everyone called me back except Harrison Ford," she recounted.

This proactive approach led to her involvement in creating "Beautiful That Way" for Pamela Andersons The Last Showgirl, earning her a Golden Globe nomination. "It was me being opportunistic at the Disney Legends event, and it ended up working out," Cyrus said.

When speaking with Cameron, she casually asked what he was working on, knowing the answer: Avatar. She added, "If you ever need anything, let me know. I could go blue! Or I could write some music." That conversation led Cameron to invite her to contribute a song for the third Avatar film. "We connected easily. Now hes a mentor and friend, which is incredibly meaningful," she shared.

"Dream as One" was co-written with Andrew Wyatt and Mark Ronson and is already a contender for the 2026 Oscars and other awards. Cyrus, a two-time Golden Globe Best Song nominee, has never been nominated for an Oscar before.

The collaboration resonated with Cyrus because both she and Cameron aim to create impactful, large-scale projects while maintaining emotional depth. Their initial conversation lasted two hours, covering topics like life, love, grief, and trauma, helping her understand the emotional core of the film even before discussing the song itself.

The movies title, Fire and Ash, also held personal significance for Cyrus, connecting to her own experience of rebuilding after losing her home in the 2018 Woolsey Fire. "I feel proud to represent rebuilding and rising from the ashes," she explained.

Cyrus admitted one challenge: Cameron only realized a song was needed two months before the films release. Despite limited time, she watched multiple versions of the movie, including unfinished cuts, and focused on creating the most emotionally truthful track possible. "Perfect isnt the goal its about honesty in the music," she said.

Recalling her first experience with the Avatar franchise, she said, "I was filming my first movie outside of Hannah Montana when the original Avatar came out in 2009. I loved the theme of chosen family having each others backs through everything."

At the Hollywood premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash, Cyrus stayed through the end credits to experience her song in context, despite the marathon three-and-a-half-hour event. "I was corseted at midnight in the middle of Hollywood, all because of the credits," she laughed.

The songs lyrics were intentionally feminine to reflect the films powerful female characters, with metaphors like diamonds representing resilience and inner strength. Cyrus recorded "Dream as One" in a historic studio once used by Frank Sinatra and Janis Joplin, noting the surreal experience of seeing Pandora-themed visuals during recording. "Its a lucky room I also wrote 'Flowers' there," she said.

Looking ahead, Cyrus expressed interest in appearing on-screen in future Avatar films as a NaVi. "Paint me blue and put me in, coach. Ill be there for Avatar," she said. "The cast and James team have been amazing, and I want to be fully immersed."

Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to open in theaters on December 19, 2025, from 20th Century Studios.

Author: Riley Thompson