A Complete Breakdown of the Cyrus Family Drama

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Kevin Mazur/BBMA2017/Getty

Kevin Mazur/BBMA2017/Getty

There have been years of recent drama with theCyrus family.

During an exclusive interview with PEOPLE in November 2022,Billy Ray set the record straightsaying that “there’s no hard feelings” within his family regarding his then-engagement toFirerose, whomhe eventually wed in October 2023.

“Everyone knew that that relationship was over a long time ago,” Billy Ray told PEOPLE at the time, referring to his prior marriage to ex-wife Tish Cyrus. “Everybody’s turning the page.”

However, whenTish tied the knotwithPrison Breakactor Dominic Purcellin August 2023, questions were raised again when two of her children, Noah and Braison, were seemingly not present at the ceremony. It was later reported that Noahwas casually seeingPurcell before her mother started dating the actor.

In June 2024, Miley gave more insight into her family dynamic during a candid interview on Netflix’sMy Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, noting that her mother is her hero but she learned a lot about how to handle fame from her father.

Here’s a timeline of the Cyrus family drama.

April 6, 2022: Tish Cyrus files for divorce from Billy Ray Cyrus

Tish Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus attend MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Dolly Parton in 2019.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

“We will always be family and look forward to a continued and loving shared experience as friends and parents. We have not come to this decision lightly or quickly but with so much going on in the world, we wanted to provide some clarity and closure, so we can remain focused on what is important,” the statement continued. “With Love and Hope… Tish and Billy Ray Cyrus.”

September 2022: Noah Cyrus calls Billy Ray Cyrus her ‘hero’ as they team up for new song

Billy Ray Cyrus and Noah Cyrus.Michael Kovac/Getty

The track’s inspiration, according to a press release, came after Noah’s visit to her father’s home in Nashville to begin recovery from aXanax addiction. There, Billy Ray reminded Noah to feel the earth under her feet, get grounded with nature and to stand still — a notion that’s been passed down from generation to generation in their family.

In response, Noah commented, “The honor is mine daddy!!! so grateful to share this track I wrote about you, pappy and papaw Cyrus .. you’re my hero and inspiration .. I love u ❤️”

November 2022: Billy Ray Cyrus says ‘there’s no hard feelings’ within his family over Firerose engagement

“Everyone knew that that relationship was over a long time ago,” Billy Ray told PEOPLE at the time, referring to split from Tish. “Everybody’s turning the page.”

About the divorce itself, he said, “It’s been a lot, but everyone knew that it was time for a change.”

August 19, 2023: Tish Cyrus marries Dominic Purcell with only some of her kids present

Tish Cyrus and Dominic Purcell.Tish Cyrus/Instagram

Tish Cyrus/Instagram

On Aug. 19, 2023,Cyrus and Purcell got marriedin a small Malibu ceremony, which took place in her daughter Miley’s backyard. Seemingly only three of her children were part of the wedding ceremony, including her son Trace and her daughters Brandi and Miley, who served as bridesmaids. Miley also walked her mother down the aisle.

Her two youngest children, Noah and Braison, were apparently not present at the ceremony. On the day of the wedding, Noah shared a photo to her Instagram Story that featured her wearing a Billy Ray T-shirt while at a café with Braison.

August 24, 2023: Miley Cyrus says she and her dad have ‘wildly different' relationships to ‘fame and success’

Trae Patton/NBCU

In her Hulu specialEndless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions), Miley made a rare comment about her dad asshe talked about how their relationships to famehave differed throughout her life.

“My dad grew up the opposite of me. I grew up on a soundstage, like, in a house with a family that was super close and all lived under the same roof, and I grew up financially stable and emotionally stable, I think, in my relationships also,” said Miley. “That’s something that my dad didn’t have.”

Miley expanded that Billy Ray had a much different experience with fame than she did.

August 28, 2023: Trace Cyrus says he’d be ‘more successful’ if he wasn’t part of his ‘famous family’

That same month, Trace reportedly got candid in a Q&Aon his Instagram Stories, where he offered insight onhow having a “famous family” impacted his career. While Trace said he loves his family, he said he thinks his career may have been more fruitful if he hadn’t had his family connections.

“I love my family so much, but I think I’d be much more successful if I wasn’t part of a famous family. People immediately want to judge me and discredit all my hard work because of who I’m related to. But that’s so far from the truth. I got a record deal without anyone from my label even knowing who I was related to ‘til after they signed me,” he wrote, referencing his former band Metro Station.

October 10, 2023: Billy Ray Cyrus marries Firerose

Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ACM

After a yearlong engagement,Billy Ray tied the knotwith his fiancée Firerose, on Oct. 10, 2023. The newlyweds announced the news in a joint statementposted to Instagram.

“10/10/23 will always be the beautiful, joyous day that our two souls united as one in holy matrimony,” they wrote. “It was the most perfect, ethereal celebration of love we could have ever imagined.”

The couple continued, “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!”

February 4, 2024: Miley Cyrus omits dad Billy Ray Cyrus from Grammys acceptance speech

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

On Feb. 4, 2024, Tish and Brandi accompanied Miley to the Grammy Awards, where she took home two awards. When the “Flowers” singer won for record of the year, she gave an acceptance speech thatmade no mention of her dad Billy Ray.

After thanking her mom, sister andher “love” Maxx Morando, she pointedly quipped, “I don’t think I forgot anyone. But I might have forgotten underwear. Bye!”

February 7, 2024: Tish Cyrus opens up about her divorce from Billy Ray Cyrus

Billy Ray Cyrus and Tish Cyrus arrive to Disney’s Premiere of ‘Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best Of Both Worlds’ in 2008.Jeffrey Mayer/Wireimage

Jeffrey Mayer/Wireimage

During an appearance ontheCall Her Daddypodcastalongside her daughter Brandi, Tish opened up about why she and Billy Ray decided to part ways for good in 2022.

“It had not been in a good place for a long time. I think I did stay so long out of fear. Literal fear of being alone,” she explained. “I met him when I [was] 24. So I, like, grew up … [and] he was such a huge part of that.”

She added that at the beginning of COVID, she was able to take a “hard look at life” as Billy Ray stayed in Nashville and Tish stayed in California to be closer to her daughters Miley and Noah. “Being alone and all of a sudden just having kind of the weight of the world off my shoulders in some ways and [I] was able to just breathe,” she said.

During that time apart from Billy Ray, her mother Loretta Finley died, which caused her to go through a “complete psychological breakdown,” she said. “I could not eat. I could not sleep. I could not stop crying. I literally weighed, like, 103 lbs. … I don’t have my mom and then I don’t have my husband [who’s] been my husband for 30 years.”

“Looking back on it, it would have been better for her had I left. It would have been much better,” she added.

February 29, 2024: A source tells PEOPLE Noah Cyrus has been ‘loyal’ to Billy Ray Cyrus following her parents’ divorce

Emma McIntyre/Getty

“It hasn’t been easy for any of the kids,” the insider added of Billy Ray and Tish’s divorce. “Their parents’ separation was really hard, but it was also long overdue.”

March 1, 2024: A source tells PEOPLE Noah Cyrus was casually seeing Dominic Purcell before he got together with Tish Cyrus

Noah Cyrus, Dominic Purcell and Tish Cyrus.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty; Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty; Kayla Oaddams/WireImage

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty; Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty; Kayla Oaddams/WireImage

In early March, more information about the Cyrus family drama came out, as PEOPLE learned thatNoah was casually seeing Purcell before her motherstarted dating thePrison Breakactor.

“Noah and Dominic were seeing each other in a friends with benefits way, off and on. They stopped seeing each other and then Tish started something up,” the source said, adding that “Tish knew he had been seeing Noah.”

Though Noah and Purcell had stopped seeing each other when his relationship with Tish started, the source claimed that"Tish never gave Noah the chance to talk about all of this before they got married.”

March 3, 2024: A source tells PEOPLE Miley Cyrus had ‘no idea’ about drama surrounding Noah and Tish Cyrus

Neilson Barnard/Getty; Arnold Jerocki/Getty; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

A few days later, a source told PEOPLE thatMiley was unaware of any alleged “drama"surrounding her sister and mother. “Miley had no idea about the drama with Dominic. No idea at all,” the insider said of the “Flowers” singer.

“She confronted her mom about it. She thinks it’s a strange situation, but she loves her mom and wants her to be happy,” the insider added. Representatives for Miley, Tish, Noah and Purcell did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

May 13, 2024: Noah Cyrus celebrates Tish’s birthday

As Tish celebrated her 57th birthday on May 13, Noah took to her Instagram Stories andshared a throwback photo with her momalongside the simple caption, “happy birthday mom.” In the photo, a young Noah smiles big as she holds her mom’s arm, while Tish has a birthday cake with lit candles in her hands.

May 22, 2024: Billy Ray files for divorce from Firerose

As the news was made public in June, it appeared thatBilly Ray and Firerose had unfollowed each otheron Instagram.

June 7, 2024: Billy Ray recalls one of his ‘best memories’ with Miley

“The next day, someone handed me this picture, and I wrote that poem right then on the bus,” he continued in the post, soundtracked to Miley’s“Flowers” hit, before giving her some praise. “I’m incredibly proud of her. She’s a survivor and a true artist. She learned early on to love and appreciate the fans who make everything possible.”

The “Achy Breaky Heart” singer added of thefather-daughter duo, “We both cherish the connection we have with our fans and are grateful for every single one of you! Hope you all have a great Friday! Now rock the country!!!”

June 12, 2024: Miley Cyrus opens up about her parents onMy Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman

While appearing onMy Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, Miley candidly talked about both of her parents. When asked in the special if her father is her personal hero, Miley responded, “I mean, honestly, my mom is my hero.”

However, she noted that she has a “lot of love” for her father, noting that both of her parents contributed to her career and “can’t be weighed on the same scale.”

“Without my dad, I know… who I am as a person wouldn’t exist,” she explained. “Because my dad as a creative and like, as an artist, and the way his brain works has always made me feel safer in my own mind.”

She added that how he handled his own superstardom really helped her as she stepped into the spotlight. “He also has a relationship and a foot on the ground to nature and to the real. And he always did, even when he was super famous,” she said. “I’m grateful for being able to watch him ahead of me. He’s almost like, given me this map — there is a map of what to do and what not to do — and he’s guided me on both.”

When asked about her early move to Los Angeles to be a part ofHannah Montana, Miley struggled to recall which siblings made the trip with her, joking, “I also inherited the narcissism from my father.” She added, “I don’t know anything about my own siblings except for the part that I was doing… I was moving to L.A., and that’s all I really knew.”

January 21, 2025: Billy Ray Cyrus doubles down on his inauguration day performance

While performing at the Liberty Ball, part ofPresident Donald Trump’s inauguration events, Billy Ray confused viewers with his behavior onstage. Along with technical difficulties, he also asked the audience if they wanted him to “just get the hell off the stage”.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Cyrus said he “wouldn’t have missed the honorof playing this event whether my microphone, guitar and monitors worked or not.”

“I was there because President Donald J. Trump invited me,” he said. “I had a ball at the Liberty Ball last night and I’ve learned through all these years when the producer says, ‘You’re on,’ you go entertain the folks even if the equipment goes to hell. I was there for the people and we had a blast. That’s called rock n roll!!!”

January 22, 2025: Trace Cyrus writes an open letter to Billy Ray Cyrus “from a place of love and also fear”

Alongside a photo of him with his dad in his younger years, Trace wrote, “It seems this world has beaten you down and it’s become obvious to everyone but you. You may be upset with me for posting this but I really could care less at this point. Me and the girls have been genuinely worried about you for years but you’ve pushed all of us away.”

He went on to say that he and his siblings, especially Noah, are “hanging on to memories of the man we once knew.”

“As I write this with tears in my eyes I hope you realize this message only comes from a place of love and also fear that the world may lose you far too soon,” he wrote.

He continued, “I love you Dad. We haven’t talked in a while but I’m over a year and half clean from alcohol. Guess what? I feel amazing.. I don’t know what you’re struggling with exactly but I think I have a pretty good idea & I’d love to help you if you would open up and receive the help.”

“This isart imitating life, imitating art,” Billy Ray said in a statement. “It starts and ends with art. Braison is very talented and ‘25 is his year. I’m glad to be a part of it. This record is gonna be special. I’m gearing up for what will be the journey of a lifetime.”

Braison added that the album was “an opportunity to tell my dad’s story through music and I’m fortunate to be able to take it.”

January 27, 2025: Billy Ray Cyrus speaks out after Trace Cyrus shares open letter

Billy Ray seemed to respond to Trace’s letter (and the concerns of his family) when he posted a clip from the music video for his 2009 song “Somebody Said a Prayer” onYouTube. Trace appears in the music video.

“Sunday callin,” Billy Ray wrote in the caption of the video. “Giving thanks for the California Rain . Praying for the brokenhearted and their pain.Praying for my family. For my children … sons and daughters…and their mother. Let this moment be the start of healing ❤️‍🩹 for us all. ‘The past does not equal the future.’ Amen 🙏🏼.”

source: people.com