Twenty years is a long time to hold a grudge. But at the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special premiere on March 23, fans were disappointed to see Billy Ray Cyrus missing in action after watching a show based almost entirely on their father-daughter dynamic. This man, who played Miley’s fictional father and is her biological father too, wasn’t on the red carpet.
Billy Ray did, however, post from a Nashville recording studio that same evening, where he was working on new music with his younger kids, Braison and Noah. He threw in a “Sweet Niblets” callback for the Hannah Montana fans. But it didn’t fully answer the question of what happened between Miley and her dad. So while they seem to be fine now, there is more nuance to it.
During the filming of the Hannah Montana series, Billy Ray and Miley’s working relationship was really close. Miley told Variety that her dad was on set every day and that her parents financially protected her in ways many child stars never experienced.
“Every penny I ever made went into my bank account,” she said.
NOAH CYRUS, TISH AND MILEY CYRUS AT HANNAH MONTANA SPECIAL 🥹 pic.twitter.com/7igwWpZ8JS
— Miley Updates (@MileyUpdates) March 23, 2026
But behind the scenes, Billy Ray was uneasy. In a 2011 GQ interview, he said the show had “destroyed” his family. He regretted the parenting choices he made and admitted he should have set firmer limits as Miley Cyrus‘ fame spiraled. “I didn’t know the ball was out of bounds until it was way up in the stands somewhere,” he said.
In 2022, Tish and Billy Ray divorced after nearly 30 years of marriage. It was their third attempt at separation after previous filings in 2010 and 2013. After that, Miley sided with her mum and spoke about it on Monica Lewinsky’s podcast, “Half of us weren’t speaking to each other at one point.” She absorbed her mother’s pain as her own and said, “I had a lot of loyalty to my mom.”
When Miley won at the 2024 Grammys and called Tish a “hero,” she didn’t mention Billy Ray.
It’s still insane to me that this was the moment miley got her first grammy… 18 years into her music career pic.twitter.com/Ni5DMYL67v
— َ (@fweakymo2) March 16, 2026
Post-divorce, Billy Ray married Australian singer Firerose in October 2023. He filed for an annulment amid allegations from both sides in June 2024. As a result, his son Trace published a open letter in January 2025 begging his dad to get help. Reportedly, Billy Ray’s response was to contact a family member to say he was considering legal action against Trace for the post.
Then, in September 2025, Miley released a song titled “Secrets,” which she described as a peace offering. It featured Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood, her father’s favourite band. She wrote on Instagram: “This song was written (…) for someone I had lost for a time but always loved.” Miley told CBS’s Sunday Morning that Billy Ray “cried” upon hearing it.
By May 2025, Miley confirmed,
“My dad and I have had our challenges over the years. Now, in my thirties, family is my priority above all else. I’m at peace knowing bridges have been built and time has done a lot of healing.”
At the Hannah Montana premiere, Miley said, “It just feels good when the Cyruses are getting along.”
