Miley Cyrus missed a UK launch thanks to the volcanic ash scare. But Shereen Low tracked her down in LA for a chat.

LOVE might be in the air, but Miley Cyrus is firmly on the ground thanks to the infamous cloud of Icelandic ash. The 17-year-old had been looking forward to attending the UK premiere of her latest film, The Last Song, before heading over to Rome.

Instead, she’s stuck in Los Angeles, where we are doing the interview, with co-star – and now boyfriend – Liam Hemsworth beside her, distracting her by making her laugh throughout.

The couple, who play lovers on screen, met as they filmed the tear-jerker movie in Tybee Island, off the US coast of Georgia, although romantic sparks didn’t fly immediately.

“We had been filming for a couple of weeks and I think the more you hang out, the more you get to know each other. We kind of grew into it.

We weren’t 100 percent a couple until the end of the film. We were hanging out and I guess we were kind of dating but there wasn’t ever a moment where we thought ‘Yeah, we’re together’.”

While you won’t catch her using the L-word, the Nashville-born entertainer – who speaks at rapid-fire speed and peppers her conversation with words such as like and cool – is happy to gush about her latest boyfriend.

“I got really lucky working with someone I enjoy being around. I’m super blessed to have had amazing people in my life,” she reveals.

Refreshingly for Cyrus, the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, Hemsworth wasn’t aware of her fame from Disney Channel phenomenon that is Hannah Montana.

“I guess that’s kind of the cool part about him and his friends. They’re like a bunch of 20-year-old guys so if they were watching my show all the time, I’d be like ‘OK, you guys are super weird’,” she says. “It’s cool working with someone seeing me for me, where everyone else knows you for what they see on TV and my show.”

Likewise, she knew next to nothing about the 20-year-old Australian or his previous appearances in Australian soaps Neighbours and Home And Away before he moved to Hollywood.

“But I might YouTube him later,” she adds, bursting out into giggles.

The Last Song breaks Cyrus’ five-year run as Hannah Montana, although her character, impertinent teen Ronnie, was penned especially for her by author Nicholas Sparks. Other novels by Sparks adapted into films include The Notebook, Nights In Rodanthe and Dear John (currently starring Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum).

Cyrus is currently shooting the final episodes for Hannah Montana, which is ending after four award-winning seasons.

“I’m sure we all will get emotional. I’ve been doing it since I was 11, so it’s a huge chapter in my life, but I’ve got a lot more to do and I’m excited about moving onto new things.” She adds: “It’s going to be hard, leaving that Hannah security blanket behind. I love that part of my life but I think it will be good for all of us and bring a lot of new things.”

Cyrus, who has been in the middle of controversies including pregnancy rumours, racism allegations, and a raunchy photo shoot, seems like she has grown up and her future certainly looks bright.

As well as releasing her third album, I Can’t Be Tamed, on June 22, she’s due to start shooting LOL, a comedy with Demi Moore, and has a cameo appearance as herself in the Sex And The City sequel, released on May 28.

“I have a super, super small role but I still can’t wait to go to the premiere because it’s one of my favourite movies,”

she says of SATC: The Movie 2. “They – Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall and Cynthia Nixon – are all so sweet and so fun to be around. I love them. Sarah Jessica Parker is my style icon so it was really fun to meet her and work with her.”

With the film offers flying in, it’s little surprise Cyrus plans to take a break from the small screen.

“I’m probably not going to do much more TV after Hannah Montana. I love movies so I can’t wait to continue to do that,” she says.

■ The Last Song is out tomorrow.