Miley Cyrus has been advocating on behalf of homeless youth for years and now she's teaming up with Russell Simmons to get the message to the big screen. According to Deadline, Cyrus will join Simmons as an executive producer on the upcoming documentary due out next month about homeless youth called Lost in America in which she'll appear alongside stars Halle Berry, Rosario Dawson, Jewel, Jon Bon Jovi, Sanaa Lathan and Rebecca Gayheart-Dane.
The movie was directed by former homeless youth Rotini Rainwater, who told Deadline, "I never thought in my wildest dreams that we would get this many people to shine a light on youth homelessness," adding that 5,000 youth die each year on the street from homelessness. "It’s phenomenal but also truly needed to make others aware of the problem... That’s 13 who die every day. It’s like Columbine happening every single day.”
The film follows Rainwater's four-year trip around the nation interviewing more than 30 youth in 15 cities, as well as members of Congress. In a statement Cyrus said, "Lost in America is an important film to me and my Happy Hippie Foundation because it helps to build our understanding and compassion for homeless youth. And I think if we had that acceptance and compassion, we could change and brighten the futures of these young people.” Cyrus founded the nonprofit Happy Hippie Foundation in 2014 to fight for the rights of homeless, LGBTQ and vulnerable youth populations.
Watch the trailer below:
Photo: Getty Images