(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Miley Cyrus says the thought of losing her parents makes her head hurt.

The 17-year-old star began thinking about what would happen if her parents passed away when making her movie The Last Song, about a family suffering from the consequences of a tragic death.

The film made Miley realise how much her own family mean to her, especially her father, the country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, and her mother Leticia.

I learned to never let a day go by without telling my family that I love them. I dont know what Id do if anything happened to my parents. My heart hurts just thinking about it, she told British newspaper The Daily Mirror.

The actress-and-singer plays a teenager who leaves home to spend the summer holidays with her estranged father in the movie.

It was the first serious adult role Miley had taken on since starring in the Disney movie and television series Hannah Montana, and The Last Songs serious themes had a real effect on the star, who says she feels proud of her raw performance.

Everyone goes through a period where they lose a friend or a family member and I didnt want to sugar coat the emotions. I wanted to keep it as real as possible, she explained. (C) Cover Media