The fallout between country star Billy Ray Cyrus and his ex-wife Firerose continues to unfold, with her parents now speaking out to challenge parts of her public allegations. Cyrus, 64, who is currently dating actress Elizabeth Hurley, finalised his divorce from Firerose, 37, in August 2024 after just seven months of marriage.
Since their split in May 2024, Firerose has repeatedly accused the singer of mistreatment, including what she described as “narcissistic abuse” and “systematic isolation.” However, her parents, Stephen and Debbie, dispute claims that Cyrus cut her off from her family.
“It’s important to set the record straight about the lie that Billy Ray cut her off from her family. That is not true,” said her father, Stephen, who requested privacy regarding his last name. “Cutting her off from her family had nothing to do with Billy Ray.”
According to her parents, they have not spoken to their daughter since 2020, years before her relationship with Cyrus began. They allege she “completely cut off all communication with us,” and say they have been hoping for reconciliation ever since.
In previous statements, the Australia-born singer told Page Six that during her marriage, she endured “systematic isolation.” She claimed friends and family were barred from visiting and said, “If I had to send a text, I had to read it out to him for permission. It was the same for email.”
Cyrus has strongly denied the accusations and, through his lawyers, has alleged that Firerose verbally, emotionally and physically abused him. He declined to comment further. A representative for Firerose clarified that her comments about isolation did not refer to her parents but to close friends.
“She has been in no-contact with the individuals you referenced [her parents] for over a decade well before her relationship with Mr. Cyrus began. As such, they do not have firsthand knowledge of her adult life or the relationship in question.”
Firerose, who legally changed her name from Johanna Rosie Hodges, moved to Los Angeles at 19 to pursue an entertainment career. Her father said the family supported that move financially. “She went to LA to become an actress. We, her parents, paid for the planet ticket, acting school fees for 18 months, a car and her living expenses there — for several years,” Stephen said.
Before meeting Cyrus around August 2022, Firerose struggled with addiction and was arrested in 2016, serving 60 days in jail. Reflecting on that period, she once said: “I was at rock bottom, as we say in the recovery community … I was a few weeks away from death, if that.”
Cyrus and Firerose married in Nashville in October 2023 and released music together, reportedly hoping to become “the next Sonny and Cher.” Now divorced, both sides remain locked in a public dispute that continues to draw attention.
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