Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus: A Timeline of Their Alleged Family Feud

The ever outspoken Miley Cyrus has had a few feuds in her day, including with designer Stefano Gabbana, Selena Gomez, and Demi Lovato (reportedly), possibly with Ed Sheeran for, like two seconds, and very publicly with Nicki Minaj. But sadly, for the last decade or so, Cyrus’s tiffs haven’t been the fun, intracelebrity kind but the personal, family kind.

For a quick rundown, Miley is one of five children shared by country star Billy Ray Cyrus and Tish Cyrus. The couple were married from 1993 to 2022, though they split up at multiple points during that period. According to People, Billy Ray adopted Tish’s eldest children, Trace and Brandi, before welcoming three biological children: Miley, Braison, and Noah Cyrus. (He also shares a son, Christopher, with ex-girlfriend Kristin Luckey.)

Though there have been inklings of tension among the Cyrus family for years, the cracks really began to show around 2023, when Noah and Braison skipped their mom’s wedding to Dominic Purcell (more on that below). However, Billy Ray is currently at the center of the family divide thanks to an emotional plea from his son, Trace.

Here’s a quick timeline of the drama with the most recent developments at the top.

January 25, 2525: Trace claims Billy Ray threatened him with legal action over the emotional Instagram post he shared earlier in the week. “For all you wondering no I still haven’t heard from my dad,” he wrote in an Instagram Story. “He did contact a family member to let me know he’s taking legal action against me for encouraging him to get help. Dad I live 30 minutes away from you. You could’ve just com and talked to me like a man.” In another Story, he claimed Father’s Day 2022 was “the last good day I had with my dad.”

He also addressed his dad directly in a follow-up message on Instagram. “Dad my message was beyond loving,” Trace began his post. “I could have been extremely honest about a lot more but i don’t want to put your business out there like that. But for you to threaten me with legal action for wanting you to get help is a disgrace.”

He continued, “Pappy is looking down at you with such disappointment I can assure you. You should be ashamed of yourself. I will always love you but I no longer respect you as a man. Everyone close to you is terrified to tell you how they really feel. I’m not. Get help.”

Meanwhile, his brother Braison tells People that he doesn’t have “any bad feelings toward anyone in my family.”

January 24, 2025: A “Cyrus family source” tells People that family is attempting to work things out. “They got through the drama of 2024, and it’s a new year,” the source says. “Miley and Noah and Braison and Tish, they don’t want to be this Cyrus family feud. This is not enjoyable for them.”

That same day, Billy Ray and Braison Cyrus announce they’re working on an album together. “I’ve spent this past year getting to know my dad better than I ever have,” the 30-year-old says in a statement shared by People.

January 22, 2025: Cyrus sibling Trace Cyrus posts and emotional open letter to his father Billy Ray on Instagram, saying he can “barely recognize” him anymore. This came a few days after Billy Ray’s shaky performance at Donald Trump’s Inauguration prompted fans online to express concern.

“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,” Trace writes, going on to mention his sister Noah by name.

Trace’s letter continues, “You’re not healthy Dad & everyone is noticing it. Just like I showed up for you at mamaws funeral when you didn’t expect me to I’m still here right now. 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. 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. You know how to reach me. Till that day comes I will continue to pray for you.”

June 12, 2024: During an appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, Miley Cyrus addresses her relationship with both of her parents, and how each of them played a different role in her upbringing.

Letterman began by asking Miley whether she is truly estranged from her father, or if that’s just “how things are played” in the media.

“I think what is so beautiful is that my parents…they served their children,” Miley said, per People. “My parents served us and sacrificed so much for us. Anything we dreamed of, they made possible.”

As for how her father shaped her career and how she handles fame, she said, “I’m grateful for being able to watch him ahead of me. He’s almost given me this map. And there’s a map of what to do and what not to do, and he’s guided me on both.”

“I also inherited the narcissism from my father,” she said elsewhere in the interview, not one to let a sappy moment pass unchecked.

The real praise, however, Miley saved for her mom. “Honestly, my mom is my hero,” she said of Tish, who was also present on the show.

“Without my dad, I know—I mean, not just literally I wouldn’t be sitting in this chair, I wouldn’t exist—but I would not, who I am as a person, it wouldn’t exist. Because my dad, as a creative and as an artist in the way that his brain works, has always made me feel safer in my own mind because we’re very similar in our ideas,” she continued. “So I think a lot of his perspective on reality and on life, I’ve inherited from him, more so than the way that I was raised—which really, my mom raised me.”

June 11, 2024: Billy Ray Cyrus files for divorce from his wife of seven months, the country singer-songwriter Firerose. In court documents obtained by People, Billy Ray cites irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct as the reasons for the split. He also files to have the marriage annulled on the grounds of fraud.

April 27, 2024: Noah posts pictures of herself and her boyfriend at Coachella on Instagram, captioned with the Lana Del Rey lyric, “Dear lord, when I get to heaven, please let me bring my man.”

One person, @realgrandma1341, comments on the post, “Like that guy u and ur mom both have sexy time with?∏ According to a screenshot captured by People, the singer responded, “Hey real grandma, I’m so sorry but will you pleeeeeass just choke on the fattest c-ck. just for a lil bit. great thanks.”

April 7, 2024: Noah Cyrus likes a “thirst trap” posted by Miley’s ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth. Messy. She later uploads and deletes an Instagram story with the ole “it’s funny to watch you all get worked up over nothing!” excuse.

March 3, 2024: A source says to People that “Miley had no idea about the drama with Dominic. No idea at all.” The comment comes amid allegations that Miley’s younger sister Noah had a previous relationship with her mother Tish’s new husband, Prison Break actor Dominic Purcell.

“[Miley] confronted her mom about it,” the source claims. “She thinks it’s a strange situation, but she loves her mom and wants her to be happy.”

March 1, 2024: Noah Cyrus makes her first public appearance since the revelation of her alleged previous fling with her mother’s new husband. The singer was spotted out and about at Paris Fashion Week with her fiancé, fashion designer Pinkus, in tow. The pair looked serene as they sat front row at the Vetements Womenswear presentation despite the ongoing drama reportedly playing out within the Cyrus family.

The same day, a source tells People that Noah “was offended” her mother married actor Dominic Purcell after he and the 24-year-old had previously hooked up.

“Noah and Dominic were seeing each other in a friends with benefits way, off and on,” the source claimed. “They stopped seeing each other and then Tish started something up.”

The source goes on to posit that “Tish knew he had been seeing Noah” but “Tish never gave Noah the chance to talk about all of this before they got married.”

February 29, 2024: Us Weekly speaks to a source who claims “Noah and Tish haven’t spoken since the whole thing happened with Dominic” and that “Tish is spiraling out of control and trying to figure out how to diffuse this.” The source also tells the outlet Noah and Dominic dated for “about 8 to 9 months” but were “having issues.”

February 28, 2024: The Daily Mail enters the chat with an anonymous insider claiming “Noah never dated Dominic and they were not together. She is delusional to think otherwise and is trying to create a narrative that will paint her as a victim.”

The insider also addresses Noah’s absence from Tish and Dominic’s wedding in August. “Noah was not invited to Tish’s wedding, and she would not have come even if she was,” the source says. “Tish wanted a peaceful wedding and did not want Noah to create any sort of scene.”

February 27, 2024: An insider claims to Us Weekly that “Noah was [seeing] Dominic when Tish started pursuing him,” and Tish was reportedly aware of this. “The turmoil between Noah and Tish goes far beyond [what people think],” the source said. “Noah is very distraught over Tish stealing Dominic from her.”

February 14, 2024: A source tells Us Weekly that Noah has “always been close with Billy Ray” and her loyalty to her father has “caused a rift between her and Miley.” A second source seemingly confirms this take on the matter, adding to the outlet: “The family dynamics haven’t been the same since the divorce, and now that Tish and Billy Ray are with other people, there’s even more division among them all.”

February 7, 2024: Tish Cyrus-Purcell’s episode of Call Her Daddy airs, and in it she goes into more detail about the ups and downs of life with Billy Ray, and why they broke up and got back together so many times.

“I think I did stay so long out of fear, literal fear of being alone,” she tells host Alex Cooper, according to Us Weekly. “I met [Billy Ray] when I [was] 24. So I, like, grew up…[and] he was such a huge part of that.”

She also reveals that during the pandemic, the pair spent two years living apart, with the country singer in Tennessee while she stayed in Los Angeles. During this time (August 2020) Cyrus-Purcell lost her mother, triggering “one month of a complete psychological breakdown. It was the worst thing…I could not eat. I could not sleep. I could not stop crying…I don’t have my mom and then I don’t have my husband [who’s] been my husband for 30 years.”

With the help of hindsight, and now being in a better marriage, she sees that there was “disrespect” in her marriage to Billy Ray. “Honestly, on both our parts,” the mom of five says. Thankfully, she says, her current situation is much better, and that “there’s not one second” she feels disrespected by her husband.

February 4, 2024: Miley Cyrus wins her first Grammy! And her second Grammy! Yay! In her acceptance speech for record of the year, she thanks family members, including “my mommy, my sister, my love, my main gays because look how good I look,” and even adds, “I don’t think I forgot anyone. But I might have forgotten underwear. Bye!” So…not her dad.

Miley attended the Grammys with her mom, Tish, and her sister Brandi, so that’s who she seems to be thanking, leaving out all the other sibs in addition to her dad. Yes, the kids chose sides and picked teams.

October 11, 2023: Noah Cyrus comments on an interview in which Miley characterizes her as “an emo kid,” writing, “The disrespect in this video.” As many point out, it’s unclear whether Noah is referring to Miley, podcast host Joe Rogan, or both; additionally, the clip is actually from 2020, so Noah’s feelings may have more to do with a current feud than Miley’s specific word choices.

October 10, 2023: Billy Ray marries an Australian musician known as Firerose. None of the kids seems to be there.

August 2023: Following news of her dad’s engagement, fans realize that former Hannah Montana costars Miley and Billy Ray have unfollowed each other on Instagram. That same month, Miley tears up while discussing her father in an emotional TikTok video.

“My dad grew up the opposite of me. I think that’s where me and my dad’s relationship to fame and success is wildly different,” she said of her father. “Him feeling loved by a big audience impacted him emotionally more than it ever could me. When he feels special or important, it’s like healing a childhood wound. And I’ve always been made to feel like a star.

“It makes me emotional,” she adds, beginning to tear up. “And so, I think that’s the difference.”

August 19, 2023: Tish marries her boyfriend, actor Dominic Purcell, in Malibu. Per Tish, the two met when she slid into his Instagram DMs. Miley is a bridesmaid, and Brandi and Trace are in attendance. Noah and Braison are very publicly at Wal-Mart.

April 11, 2022: Tish and Billy Ray announce their divorce. They actually get this divorce.

May 2020: Noah Cyrus, Miley’s younger sister, writes about feeling second best in a song and opens up about growing up in the Hannah Montana star’s shadow. She mostly blames internet hate for the “unbearable” experience of growing up in her family, but it does seem like the genesis of a rift between the sisters.

1993–2013: Tish and Billy Ray Cyrus wed after two years of dating in 1993; 17 years later, in 2010, Billy Ray files for divorce but drops it after a few months. In 2013, Tish files for divorce, but after couples therapy, the pair get back together, per People.