EXCLUSIVE: I’m told the star of that billion dollar Disney franchise Hannah Montana is trading in Cunningham Escott Slevin Doherty (which helps transform mostly child actors, singers and models into A-list stars) for United Talent to follow her long-term agent Mitchell Gossett. According to my sources, Gossett, until now the VP of CESD’s theatrical division, will become a senior agent in UTA’s talent department. He is also bringing with him Miley’s father, singer/actor Billy Ray Cyrus, as well as AnnaSophia Robb (the young actress from Because Of Winn-Dixie, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Bridge To Terabithia, The Reaping) and High School Musical‘s Monique Coleman. In addition to Cyrus, Gossett has repped many of the big names in the tween/teen talent pool, like Jesse McCartney, Kristen Bell, and Hayden Panitierre. As for 15-year-old Cyrus, the actress/recording artist/touring singer with her own show on the Disney Channel is already a major profit center what with Hannah Montana the most-watched TV series among kids aged 6 to 14, and her two soundtracks from the show selling 2+ million albums in 2007.  It was Gossett who set up the meeting for both Cyrus and her father to demonstrate their father-daughter chemistry to the Disney’s Gary Marsh. Gossett soon negotiated for Miley to have deals with four areas at the Walt Disney Co: TV, film, consumer products and recording. For Disney, she also has a movie in the works for 2009 and a seven-figure book deal. It’s unclear how Miley’s career will be hurt or helped by that suggestive photo spread in Vanity Fair that also featured her father, or what role (active or laissez faire) Gossett played behind the scenes.

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