Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus appeared to be at loggerheads until recently when the country singer wished his daughter on her birthday on Instagram. The new update comes after months of rumors and speculations about a difficult father-daughter relationship. Billy Ray was a hit country singer before his association with Miley brought him renewed attention within the industry.
Billy Ray also played the father to Cyrus’ character in Hannah Montana. He had a three-decade-old relationship with Cyrus’ mother Tish Cyrus until they broke up in April 2022. He recently made headlines for his divorce from singer Firerose and for his endorsement of Donald Trump in the recent US presidential elections.
Miley Cyrus’ Tumultuous Relationship With Her Father Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus met Tish Cyrus a year before his hit country song, Achy Breaky Heart. They hit it off immediately and went on to have their first child Miley Cyrus in 1992. A year later, they got married and welcomed Braison and Noah Cyrus. Miley went on to become a big Disney child star after landing the role of Hannah Montana at thirteen years old.
Billy Ray landed the role of Robby Ray Stewart in the Disney Channel show, playing father to his daughter’s character. While Billy Ray appeared to have a smooth run during the run of the show from 2006 to 2011, he spoke out against the show after it wrapped. In an interview with GQ, he shared that the “damn show destroyed my family.”
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He expressed concern for his daughter and her antics at the time, sharing that he should’ve been a better parent. Miley’s mother Tish Cyrus and sister Brandi Cyrus disputed these claims recently during an appearance on Call Her Daddy podcast. Brandi shared that the family “is not destroyed,” adding that they were “doing great.” Tish added, “I just think he was having a moment.”
Billy Ray’s comments came at a time when he and Tish had filed for divorce. They didn’t eventually go through with the divorce at that time. In fact, the Hannah Montana years went pretty well for Billy Ray, who released the duet song Ready, Set, Don’t Go with Miley in 2008.
He appeared alongside his daughter on the cover of Vanity Fair. Cyrus told the magazine that she didn’t exactly care about what she shared and did, sharing, “That’s what my parents are for. They’re there to take care of that, and I can just do what I love.”
While Billy Ray’s 2011 comments sparked some discussions, it was not until Miley unfollowed him after his divorce from Tish in 2022 that speculations arose about a feud. According to US Weekly, Miley Cyrus still doesn’t follow her father on Instagram. However, Miley spoke fondly of Billy Ray during the release of her 2023 song Used to Be Young. She shared on TikTok (via LA Times):
My dad grew up the opposite of me, so I think that’s where me and my dad’s relationship to fame and success is wildly different. Him feeling loved by a big audience impacted him emotionally more than it ever could me. When he feels special or important it’s like healing a childhood wound and I’ve always been made to feel like a star.
It was rumored that Billy Ray’s relationship with Firerose widened the gap between the father and the daughter. While Billy Ray shared with People that “everybody’s turning the page”, fans couldn’t help but notice that Miley didn’t support her father as she did with her mother’s marriage to actor Dominic Purcell.
Miley further intensified the rumors during the Grammys 2024 where she won Record of the Year for her song Flowers. She left out her father Billy Ray during her acceptance speech. She thanked her mother, sister, and boyfriend Maxx Morando along with her collaborators.
She cheekily ended her speech, sharing, “I don’t think I forgot anyone, but I might have forgotten underwear” (via THR). She also forgot to mention him in an Instagram post about her Grammy win.
Billy Ray Cyrus’ Latest Message To His Daughter On Her 32nd Birthday
Billy Ray Cyrus shared a sweet message with his daughter Miley Cyrus, which almost makes fans question the rumored rift between the two. The 63-year-old took to Instagram to wish his daughter who celebrated her 32nd birthday on November 23, 2024. He shared a few photos of himself with Miley, who appears as a toddler, a teenager, and a grown adult in these photos.
The country singer captioned the photo, “Happy Birthday Mile !!! Hope it’s the best one ever!” He added that he omitted the “y” intentionally, sharing that he called his daughter “Mile” most of her life.
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During her appearance on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction in June, she told host David Letterman that she had a complicated relationship with her father. She shared that her father gave her a map of what to do and what not to do. She shared that she as a person wouldn’t exist without her father. However, she also joked that she “inherited the narcissism” from Billy Ray.
Letterman inquired about the rumored rifts with her father, asking, “There’s not estrangement here with your father, it’s just the way things are played?”. Miley responded affirmatively, sharing that she knew her parents had served their children. She shared that they “sacrificed so much for us” and added, “Anything we dreamed of, they made possible.”
From Billy Ray and Miley’s recent statements, it appears that the father and daughter have grown apart but their love is intact.
Billy Ray Cyrus And Tish Cyrus’s Three-Decade-Long Relationship Ended In Divorce
Billy Ray Cyrus was married to Cindy Smith from 1986 to 1991. They co-wrote the songs Wher’m I Gonna Live? and Some Gave All, which were released after their divorce. Billy Ray met Tish Finley in 1991 at a club. In 1992, he had Miley with Tish but she was not the only child born to Billy Ray that year. He had his son Christopher Cody with waitress Kristin Luckey.
He married Tish a year later in 1993 and had Braison and Noah Cyrus, while also adopting Tish’s children Brandi and Trace Cyrus. Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus first filed for divorce in 2010. He shared at the time, “As you can imagine, this is a very difficult time for our family. We are trying to work through some personal matters” (via People).
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Billy Ray’s controversial comments about Hannah Montana came during this period. He later called his comments “explosive and unintentionally so,” during an interview with People (via NBC News). He shared, “My family is the most important thing I have, and we are working together to make sure our future is stronger and healthier.” He announced that he was dropping the divorce during an appearance on The View in May 2011 (via People).
Just three years after the first divorce drama, Tish announced in June 2013 that she was filing for divorce. She shared with People, “This is a personal matter and we are working to find a resolution that is in the best interest of our family.” However, a month later, they posted an Instagram photo with the caption “Date Night,” confusing fans (via People).
They told People that they both “realized we love each other and decided we want to stay together.” They shared that they both went into therapy, which opened up their “communication in amazing ways.” In 2022, Tish filed for divorce once again, this time for good, citing “irreconcilable differences.” They shared in a joint statement (via People):
It is after 30 years, five amazing children and a lifetime of memories, we have decided to go our separate ways — not with sadness, but with love in our hearts. We have grown up together, raised a family we can be so proud of, and it is now time to create our own paths.
Billy Ray moved on to a relationship with Firerose, while Tish found her new love with Prison Break actor Dominic Purcell.
Billy Ray Cyrus Recently Filed For Divorce From Singer Firerose
Billy Ray Cyrus and Firerose began their relationship after working together on the song New Day. They subtly revealed their engagement with a selfie where Firerose was seen wearing an engagement ring. The engagement happened in August 2022, according to reports (via Hollywood Life). They got married in October 2023. The former couple shared via Instagram (via Us Weekly):
10/10/23 will always be the beautiful, joyous day that our two souls united as one in holy matrimony. It was the most perfect, ethereal celebration of love we could have ever imagined. For both of us to hear the preacher say, ‘Billy Ray and Firerose Cyrus… I now pronounce you husband and wife’ that was the sacred moment our new forever began. Long Live Love! ❤️♾️.
However, the relationship didn’t last much longer as Billy Ray filed for an annulment from Firerose just seven months after they tied the knot. According to TMZ, he filed the date of separation as May 22, 2024, and cited “inappropriate marital conduct” as the reason for divorce.
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It was also reported that the country singer asked the court to grant an annulment on the grounds that the marriage was obtained by fraud. According to the court documents, Billy Ray was required to pay Firerose $5000 per month for housing in Tennessee for a period of 90 days or until the divorce is finalized, whichever occurs first.
He finalized his divorce from Firerose on August 5 (via AP News). It was also reported that he had reached a settlement with Firerose. His lawyers told AP that he was “relieved to put this nightmare behind him.” According to the court documents, neither party would pay spousal support.
