Miley Cyrus reveals why she’s 'compassionate' amid dad Billy Ray’s romance with Elizabeth Hurley

Miley Cyrus reveals why she’s 'compassionate' amid dad Billy Ray’s romance with Elizabeth Hurley
Miley Cyrus spoke about Billy Ray Cyrus' relationship with Elizabeth Hurley in a new interview (Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Miley Cyrus has spoken up about her father, Billy Ray Cyrus’ romance with actress Elizabeth Hurley.

The pop singer revealed that seeing her parents move on has helped her learn to love them “as individuals” and allowed her to finally “grow up.”

Miley Cyrus on her parents’ divorce after 28 years of marriage

Miley Cyrus, 32, made these comments while promoting her new single 'Easy Lover' on 'The Interview', a podcast from The New York Times.

Miley Cyrus attends the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
Miley Cyrus attends the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025, in Hollywood, California (Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

“As I’ve gotten older, I respect my parents as individuals instead of as parents because, you know, my mom really loved my dad for her whole life,” said Cyrus.

“I took on some of my mom’s hurt as my own, because it hurt her more than it hurt me as an adult. So I owned a lot of her pain as mine," she continued.

Miley’s mother, Tish Cyrus, split from Billy Ray Cyrus in 2022 after 28 years of marriage, with their divorce finalized in 2023.


LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Tish Cyrus (L) and Billy Ray Cyrus attend MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Dolly Parton at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 8, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Tish Cyrus (L) and Billy Ray Cyrus attend MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Dolly Parton at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 8, 2019, in Los Angeles, California (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Tish married 'Prison Break' star Dominic Purcell in August of the same year. Miley noted how her mother’s new relationship with Purcell has helped her see things differently.


 
 
 
 
 
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“But now that my mom is so in love with my stepdad, Dom, who I completely adore, and now that I see my dad finding happiness outside of that too, I can love them both as individuals instead of as a kind of parental pairing. I’m being an adult about it,” she added, according to Daily Mail.

Miley Cyrus admits she struggled to accept Billy Ray Cyrus’ romance with Elizabeth Hurley

Miley Cyrus admitted that at first, it was hard to accept Billy Ray Cyrus' relationship with Elizabeth Hurley.

“Because the little kid in you reacts before the adult in you can go, yes, that’s your dad—but that’s just another person that deserves to be in his bliss and to be happy. So my adult self has caught up. My child self has caught up," she said.

Elizabeth Hurley attends Elton John AIDS Foundation's 33rd Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 02, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage)
Elizabeth Hurley attends Elton John AIDS Foundation's 33rd Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 02, 2025, in West Hollywood, California (Alberto E Rodriguez/WireImage)

Ray, 63, and Hurley, 59, were first linked in April this year following the end of his brief marriage to 36-year-old singer Firerose.

The pair reportedly bonded over a shared love of horses and rural living. A source said at the time, “It’s early days but they’ve genuinely hit it off.”

FIREROSE and Billy Ray Cyrus attend the 16th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors at Ryman Auditorium on August 23, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ACM)
Firerose and Billy Ray Cyrus attend the 16th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors at Ryman Auditorium on August 23, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ACM)

Miley Cyrus shares compassion for parents dealing with public attention

Reflecting on the intense media attention surrounding her family, Miley Cyrus said, “Social media moves so fast. It just eats everything."

She added, "Something may seem really important for a couple hours but then there's a meme that goes viral—somebody scats at Walmart or something—and that becomes the next thing.”

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - MAY 02:  The Cyrus family, (L-R) Brandi Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Tish Cyrus, Noa
The Cyrus family, (L-R) Brandi Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Tish Cyrus, Noah Cyrus, Miley Cyrus and Braison Cyrus appear at the launch of the Lollipops and Rainbows Foundation at CityWalk on May 2, 2009 in Universal City, California (Kevin Winter/Getty Images) 

Although Miley is accustomed to the public eye, she admitted her worries are greater for her family.

“It can be embarrassing… not so much for me,” she said. “I try to just be more compassionate to my parents because I hate that for them. And I mostly hate it for my siblings that have chosen not to be in this industry, because they didn’t choose that kind of highlight on themselves.”

Miley shares siblings Trace Cyrus, 36, and DJ Brandi Cyrus, 38, with her mom Tish.

HOLLYWOOD - MAY 12:  Musician Trace Cyrus arrives at the NYLON & YouTube Young Hollywood Party at th
Musician Trace Cyrus arrives at the NYLON & YouTube Young Hollywood Party at the Roosevelt Hotel on May 12, 2010, in Hollywood, California (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Her brother Braison, 31, and sister Noah, 25, are from Tish and Billy Ray’s relationship. She also has a brother, Chris Cyrus, 33, Billy Ray’s biological son.

“I’ve gotten so used to it,” Miley added. “I’m like, if the symptom of this is that sometimes we deal with these embarrassing [stories] or difficult public opinions, then that’s something I’m willing to take to have the life that we have. But it doesn’t make it any easier.”

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