It’s honestly kind of weird how we’ve all been watching the Cyrus family for twenty years and yet, somehow, 2026 feels like the year we finally actually "get" them. For a long time, the narrative was simple: Billy Ray was the country star dad, Tish was the cool manager-mom, and Miley was the pop phenomenon at the center of the storm. But if you look at Miley Cyrus and family today, that old Hannah Montana blueprint has basically been shredded and set on fire.
Families are messy. Celebrity families? They’re an absolute wreck, but in a way that’s strangely relatable if you’ve ever had a blowout at Thanksgiving. Lately, the headlines have been obsessed with "rifts" and "feuds," specifically that supposed drama between Tish’s new husband, Dominic Purcell, and Miley’s younger sister, Noah. But while the internet loves a good scandal, the reality of where this family stands right now is much more nuanced than a clickbait headline.
The Truth About the 2024 Grammy "Snub" and Billy Ray
Remember the 2024 Grammys? Miley won Record of the Year for "Flowers"—her first ever, which is still wild to think about—and her speech was classic Miley. She thanked her mom, her sister Brandi, her "main man" Maxx Morando, but notably left her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, off the list. People lost their minds. "She’s cutting him out!" "The feud is real!"
But here’s the thing: Miley is 33 now. She’s at that age where you start to see your parents as actual people instead of just "Mom and Dad." In her 2025 interview with Monica Lewinsky on the Reclaiming podcast, she actually admitted that she spent a lot of time "emotional hoarding" the family's problems. She explained that she felt a massive amount of loyalty to Tish after the 2022 divorce, which is just human. When your parents split after 30 years, you usually end up playing referee, whether you want to or not.
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The good news? It looks like the "dark decade," as she called it, is ending. By late 2025, Miley and Billy Ray started building bridges. Billy Ray even posted a super sweet Instagram tribute when Miley got engaged to Maxx Morando, calling her "special" and mentioning her godmother, Dolly Parton. It wasn't just PR fluff; Miley herself has said that in her thirties, family is her priority. They aren't back to the Achy Breaky Heart days, but they’re talking. That’s more than a lot of families can say after a messy divorce.
Tish, Noah, and the Dominic Purcell Rumor Mill
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. The rumor that Tish Cyrus "stole" her husband, Dominic Purcell, from her own daughter, Noah, is the kind of stuff that keeps gossip sites alive. Honestly, it’s a heavy accusation. Tish and Dominic got married in 2023, and when Noah and Braison didn't show up to the wedding, everyone assumed the worst.
But then came that 2025 cover of The Cut.
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Seeing Tish, Miley, Brandi, and Noah all together on a magazine cover was a massive "shut up" to the rumors. Tish has been very vocal on podcasts like The Squeeze about how she was "just trying to survive" after the divorce and the death of her mother, Loretta. She’s admitted she didn't process things well, and that led to some serious anxiety. But the fact that Noah was there, standing with her mom and sisters, suggests that whatever friction existed wasn't enough to break the bond. Families fight, but the Cyruses seem to have a "white flag" policy when things get too heavy.
Meet the Rest of the Clan: Not Just "Miley's Siblings"
It’s easy to forget that there are six Cyrus kids in total. They aren't just background characters in Miley’s life; they’re all doing their own thing.
- Brandi Cyrus: The eldest. She’s basically Miley’s rock. You’ll see her DJing at festivals like EDC or co-hosting podcasts like Sorry We’re Stoned with Tish. She’s the one who’s always in the front row at the awards shows.
- Trace Cyrus: The former Metro Station frontman. Trace has been the most outspoken about the family’s health. He actually wrote an open letter to Billy Ray in early 2025, basically saying, "Dad, we’re worried about you." It was raw and a little uncomfortable to read, but it came from a place of love.
- Noah Cyrus: The youngest and arguably the most musically similar to Miley in terms of raw talent. She’s been open about her own mental health struggles, which has made her a bit of an icon for Gen Z.
- Braison Cyrus: He’s the "low-key" one. A musician and actor, Braison lives a much quieter life in Nashville with his wife and their son, Bear.
- Christopher Cody: Billy Ray’s son from a previous relationship. He’s lived almost entirely out of the spotlight, which, honestly, is probably a smart move.
Why This Family Dynamic Still Matters
Why are we so obsessed with Miley Cyrus and family? It’s not just because they’re famous. It’s because their evolution mirrors how a lot of modern families work. They’re blended. They’ve gone through divorce, remarriage, public fallout, and reconciliation.
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Miley’s current era—the "Something Beautiful" era—is all about peace. She’s engaged to Maxx Morando, she’s winning Grammys, and she’s finally stopped trying to fix everyone else’s problems. She’s realized that she can love her parents as individuals rather than as a "parental pairing." That’s a huge psychological shift that a lot of people don't make until much later in life.
The biggest takeaway here? Don't believe everything you read in a 2 a.m. Twitter thread. Just because someone isn't in a photo doesn't mean they’re "estranged." And just because they’re "messy" (Miley’s word, not mine) doesn't mean they’re broken.
Actionable Insights for Your Own "Messy" Family
If you’re looking at the Cyrus family and seeing reflections of your own drama, here are a few things we can learn from their 2026 "healing" era:
- Individual Relationships Matter: You don't have to love your parents as a unit. Like Miley, you can build a separate bridge to your dad and your mom, even if they aren't on speaking terms with each other.
- The "White Flag" Strategy: Sometimes, you’re too "messy" for traditional family counseling. In those cases, just deciding to stop the war and start talking again—without re-hashing every past mistake—is the only way forward.
- Clean Up as You Go: Miley mentioned "emotional hoarding"—letting small hurts stack up until they’re a mountain. Try to address the small stuff before it becomes a decade-long rift.
- Boundaries Are Health: Supporting your mom doesn't mean you have to inherit her pain. Miley had to learn that Tish’s hurt wasn't her own to carry.
The Cyrus family is far from perfect, and they’ll probably have another public disagreement by next Tuesday. But they’re still standing. In a world of curated, fake celebrity families, there’s something kind of refreshing about a group of people who are willing to be "too tight to fight," even when the world wants them to.