Miley Cyrus: America's Most Famous Girl Grows Up

GLAMOUR: It seems so hard to avoid that.

MILEY CYRUS: It is! At one of the very first awards shows I ever did, there was a bottle of vodka in my gift bag. No one cared that they were giving this to a 12-year-old.

GLAMOUR: You're kidding me!

MILEY CYRUS: I think that's what's messed up so many people. I feel like the rules are the rules, you know? If you're not 21, you don't get into a bar. You don't go to clubs. In this business you see so many people who are told yes all the time, and if someone says no, they get all upset. They look to their publicist, manager or agent for approval, rather than their parents.

GLAMOUR: Can you ever imagine your life playing out like Britney Spears' or Lindsay Lohan's? They started out as squeaky-clean Disney stars too.

MILEY CYRUS: The last thing I ever want to do is disappoint my parents. My mom's dad died when she was 18, and if something ever happened to one of my parents, I'd want them to go knowing I made them proud. I think it's selfish to go out partying all the time, especially if you have little ones [in your family]. I have a nine-year-old sister, and I don't want her to go to school and have people make fun of her for it.

GLAMOUR: This year there were pictures that came out that made you look racist. What do you say to people who were offended by that?

MILEY CYRUS: I regret what it became. I was embarrassed and I apologized. And I am sorry. I am going to be more careful in the future, but I know this won't be the last mistake I make. The minute I stop making mistakes is the minute I stop learning.

GLAMOUR: Obviously you've earned a huge salary from all the work you do. How do you deal with having so much of your own money?

MILEY CYRUS: In this industry there are so many things that can take over your life: money, alcohol, drugs—even fashion. People hand you things, and you start to believe life is easy. And it's not like that—you're not supposed to be the person you play in the movies. I'm doing fine, and I'll be able to live comfortably for a while. But I like keeping my mind as far away from money and the material aspects of my job as possible.

GLAMOUR: So you wouldn't walk into a store and drop $1,000 on a handbag?

MILEY CYRUS: I feel like it looks bad, always having a different $1,000 bag. I do have limits on my money. I like calling my mom to ask, "Can I have that?" Because I know I can be spending my money more wisely.

GLAMOUR: You've used your fame as a platform for cancer fund-raising. What drew you to that particular cause?