Let’s be real: when you hear the name Hemsworth, your brain probably does a quick pivot to Liam. It makes sense. He was the one who spent a decade in that high-stakes, "are they or aren't they" emotional marathon with Miley Cyrus. But if you look at the fallout of that marriage—and the years of pop culture history leading up to it—Miley Cyrus and Chris Hemsworth actually have one of the most interesting, albeit complicated, dynamics in Hollywood.
It wasn't just about a brother-in-law. It was about a family unit that Miley was deeply woven into for a third of her life.
Think back to 2016. Miley was frequently spotted in Australia, not just with Liam, but with Chris and his wife, Elsa Pataky. They weren't just "celebrity relatives" at a Thanksgiving table. Miley and Elsa were close enough to get matching wave tattoos on their fingers. They were basically sisters.
Then everything went south.
The "Malibu" Shade and the Great Family Divide
When the marriage finally imploded in 2019, it wasn't a clean break. Divorce rarely is, especially when your ex-husband’s older brother is Thor and has a massive platform. Chris Hemsworth didn't stay silent for long. While he didn't go on a full-scale Twitter rant, he dropped some heavy-duty hints during an interview with News.com.au in 2020.
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He was talking about Liam’s fitness journey and basically threw Miley’s "Malibu" era under the bus. "We got him out of Malibu," Chris joked. It sounds like a throwaway line, right? But to anyone following the timeline, it was a clear reference to the California life Liam shared with Miley—a life Chris seemed relieved his brother had left behind for the "Australian living."
Honestly, it’s kinda fascinating how families pick sides.
Elsa Pataky was even more blunt. She told reporters that Liam "deserved much better" after the split. When you’ve shared tattoos and vacations, that kind of comment has to sting. It wasn't just a breakup with a guy; it was a total expulsion from a tribe.
Why Miley Cyrus and Chris Hemsworth represent a bigger Hollywood shift
By 2026, we’ve seen the long-term effects of this fracture. Miley has moved on, recently celebrating her engagement to Maxx Morando and showing off that massive ring at the Golden Globes. Meanwhile, Liam is settled with Gabriella Brooks, who the Hemsworth clan reportedly adores because she's "low-key."
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But does the ghost of the old relationship still haunt the family? Sorta.
Miley has spent the last few years reclaiming her narrative. When "Flowers" dropped, the internet went into a literal frenzy. Everyone was looking for "Easter eggs." Was the suit she wore a jab at Liam? Was the house in the video a reference to Chris’s "Malibu" comments? While Miley hasn't explicitly confirmed every fan theory, the song itself was a massive "I can take care of myself" anthem that felt like a response to the entire Hemsworth family's narrative of Liam being the one who "escaped."
Misconceptions about the Hemsworth-Cyrus feud
Most people think Chris and Miley hated each other from the jump. That's just not true.
- They were actually friends: Chris and Miley spent years together at movie premieres and private family gatherings. There was a genuine bond there before the 2019 split turned everything icy.
- It wasn't just about cheating: While the internet loves a scandal, Miley has been very vocal about the fact that her marriage didn't end because of cheating. It was a slow burn of incompatibility and the trauma of losing their home in the Woolsey Fire.
- The "Malibu" comment wasn't just a joke: For Chris, moving Liam back to Australia was about "reclaiming" his brother from the Hollywood machine that Miley, for better or worse, represents.
What actually happened to the matching tattoos?
This is the question that pops up in every Reddit thread. Elsa Pataky was asked point-blank if she regretted the ink she got with Miley. Her answer? Surprisingly classy. She told Vogue Australia that she doesn't regret any of her tattoos because they represent a moment in time.
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It’s a rare moment of nuance in a story that is usually painted in black and white. You can move on and still acknowledge that, for a while, those people were your world.
Insights for the fans
If you're still tracking the Miley Cyrus and Chris Hemsworth saga, here’s the reality of the situation in 2026:
- Social Media Silence: Don't expect a public reconciliation. The "unfollow" buttons were hit years ago, and they’ve stayed hit.
- The Narrative Battle: Miley uses her music (like the Endless Summer Vacation tracks) to process her side, while the Hemsworths use the "family first" Australian lifestyle as their rebuttal.
- Separation of Church and State: Chris and Liam are closer than ever, often surfing and training together. They have effectively "walled off" that decade-long chapter of their lives.
Looking at it now, the drama between Miley and the Hemsworth family serves as a massive lesson in how public breakups aren't just between two people. They’re an ecosystem. When you marry into a family as tight-knit as the Hemsworths, the exit is never going to be easy.
If you’re looking to understand the full scope of this Hollywood fallout, the best thing you can do is listen to Miley’s Used To Be Young series. She gets surprisingly vulnerable about her "Malibu" years, and while she doesn't name Chris, you can feel the weight of the family expectations she left behind. It’s a masterclass in growing up and realizing that sometimes, you just don't fit in the frame of someone else's "perfect" family photo.
Next Step: Review the lyrics of "Flowers" alongside Chris Hemsworth’s 2020 Extraction press tour interviews to see how the "Malibu vs. Australia" narrative was built by both sides over time.