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Billy Ray Cyrus has opened up about his “beautiful” new romance with Austin Powers and Bedazzled actor Elizabeth Hurley.
The pair announced their relationship in an Easter-themed Instagram post shared on Sunday (20 April). “Happy Easter,” Hurley wrote, alongside a picture of her smiling while Cyrus, wearing a pair of green bunny ears, kissed her on the neck.
Speaking on Thursday's episode of Apple Music Country's The Ty Bentli Show (25 April), Cyrus said he had instant chemistry with Hurley on the set of their 2022 movie, Christmas in Paradise, which was filmed in Nevis, an island in the Caribbean.
“We did very few scenes together but the couple times we were in the same scene there was a chemistry,” Cyrus said. “We just laughed and it was at a time I wasn't laughing a lot, and I found it the oddest thing.”
He said he “knew all about” Hurley’s life and career before they met, and that he felt intimidated that “me, a kid from Flatwoods, Kentucky, going to sit and pretend I'm an actor with Elizabeth Hurley”.
Cyrus added that the “oddest part” of their on-set chemistry was how much they laughed together.
“Second, I figured we were so different, but in some very strange way, we had way more in common than we had different.”
However, the pair lost touch after filming wrapped, with Cyrus navigating his divorce from his wife of 30 years, Tish Cyrus, with whom he shares three children: Miley Cyrus, 32, Braison, 30 and Noah, 25. Billy also adopted Tish’s two children, Brandi and Trace, when they got married.
Cyrus then married the Australian singer Firerose in October 2023, and they divorced eight months later, citing “irreconcilable differences” and “inappropriate marital conduct” as the reasons for their split.
Earlier this year, Cyrus came under scrutiny after performing at the inauguration of Donald Trump, which was later branded an “epic disaster” due to technical issues. After the concert, his adopted son Trace, 35, shared a statement stating that he and his siblings were concerned about their father’s wellbeing.
“I love you Dad,” Trace wrote. “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 and 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.”
Speaking to Ty Bentli, Cyrus spoke about a “difficult” period in his life, adding: “I felt like, ‘Wow, can life get any harder? Can it get any tougher for me?’ At a certain point it was like, you can't get knocked down any flatter than laying on your back when life is kicking you in the gut.”
Cyrus said that Hurley reached out to him on an unknown number to offer support, which is when they reconnected.
“A friend reached out, I didn't even know the number, and it's like, 'Hey, it looks like life might be a little bit tough and just wanted you to know I'm in your corner. You've got a friend in your corner.’”
“So, I text back, I go, ‘Who is this?’ And it’s like, ‘Elizabeth Hurley.’ Of all the people to reach out to me in that second that maybe I needed most… this friend who made me laugh,” he added.
When Cyrus was asked to confirm the nature of their relationship, he was coy, calling Hurley “this friend that made me laugh...if all we ever were [is] the friends that we are, I would take that.”
Cyrus added: “It's just been beautiful, and again, no expectations of where we go from here other than her and her son – I do love him a lot, and it's great that God brought them into my life when he did. It's just a good thing. It's been a long time since I've been this happy.”
Hurley’s son Damian, 23, showed his support for the pair when he commented love-heart and celebration emojis on their Easter post.
English (US) ·