Let’s be real. If your family dinners involved multi-platinum records and Disney Channel contracts, things would probably be a little messy too. For years, the world watched Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus through a lens of perfect, Tennessee-bred harmony. They were the ultimate father-daughter duo. Then, the silence happened.
It wasn't just a quiet patch. It was a full-blown, "don't mention his name at the Grammys" level of estrangement.
By early 2024, the rift looked permanent. When Miley took the stage to accept her Record of the Year award for "Flowers," she thanked her mom, her sister, and her "main gays," but the man who literally played her TV dad for four seasons was nowhere to be found in the credits. People noticed. The internet went into a frenzy. Honestly, it felt like the end of an era.
What Actually Happened Between Miley and Billy Ray?
Families are complicated. Famous families? They're a disaster waiting to happen once the divorce papers start flying. The friction really kicked off around 2022. That’s when Tish Cyrus filed for divorce from Billy Ray after nearly 30 years.
Miley didn't just stay neutral. She picked a side.
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She stood firmly with her mother, Tish. While Billy Ray moved on quickly—marrying and then swiftly divorcing the singer Firerose in a mess of "fraud" allegations and leaked audio—Miley was busy being the maid of honor at Tish’s wedding to Prison Break star Dominic Purcell.
The Breaking Point
The drama wasn't just about who sat where at a wedding. It was deeper. In leaked recordings from Billy Ray’s short-lived marriage to Firerose, he was heard using some pretty "choice" words. He allegedly referred to his daughter as a "skank" and a "devil."
Imagine hearing your dad say that about you to his new wife. You'd probably stop answering his texts, too.
The Turning Point in 2025
Things changed. They always do. By mid-2025, the frost started to thaw. Miley, now 32 and seemingly in a more reflective stage of her life, began talking about "cleaning up the mess."
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In a June 2025 appearance on Monica Lewinsky's Reclaiming podcast, Miley admitted that the family had gone through a "dark decade." She described it as emotional hoarding. Basically, they let small resentments pile up until the house was too full of junk to live in.
- The "White Flag": Miley decided to stop waiting for an apology and just started showing up.
- The Perspective Shift: She began looking at her parents as people, not just "Mom and Dad."
- The Music: Miley even revealed that a new track titled "Secrets" was written specifically with her father in mind.
It wasn't a "perfect" reconciliation with a bow on top. It was messy and human. She acknowledged that Billy Ray is "intelligent" and "intuitive" but also admitted those traits can be "manipulative." That’s a level of honesty you don't usually see in a Hollywood PR statement.
Where They Stand Right Now
As of early 2026, the bridges are being rebuilt. Billy Ray publicly congratulated Miley on her engagement to Maxx Morando, sharing old family photos that felt like a public olive branch.
Is everything back to the Hannah Montana days? No. And it probably shouldn't be. Miley has made it clear that while she loves her dad, she’s no longer carrying the weight of his choices or her parents' failed marriage.
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"I'm at peace knowing bridges have been built and time has done a lot of healing," Miley shared on social media.
Key Lessons from the Cyrus Fallout
- Divorce hits kids differently, even adult ones. Miley felt a fierce loyalty to her mother that dictated her relationship with her father for years.
- Public perception isn't reality. While we saw a "snub" at the Grammys, Miley was actually dealing with a decade of unaddressed family trauma.
- Healing isn't linear. You can love someone and still recognize they are difficult to be around.
The reality of billy ray cyrus with miley cyrus is that they are two massive stars who had to learn how to be a family again without the cameras rolling. It took a lot of silence, a few public "shades," and eventually, a lot of grace.
How to Navigate Your Own Family Rifts
If you're looking at the Cyrus family and seeing parallels in your own life, here’s how to handle it based on Miley’s "white flag" approach:
- Separate the Parent from the Person: Try to see your parents as individuals with their own flaws and histories rather than just figures who owe you something.
- Stop the "Emotional Hoarding": Address the small things before they become a "dark decade" of silence.
- Prioritize Your Peace: It is okay to set boundaries. Reconciling doesn't mean forgetting; it means finding a way to exist in the same space without the old fires reigniting.
Keep an eye on Miley's upcoming album releases, as the lyrics to "Secrets" are expected to provide the most intimate look yet into how she finally mended the bond with her father.