Tish And Billy Ray Cyrus Have Different Memories Of How Hannah Montana Impacted Their Family

Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus had a rocky relationship, leading to their divorce in 2022. After nearly 30 years of marriage, they decided to part ways, citing "irreconcilable differences," as reported by USA Today. In a statement, they shared, "We have grown up together, raised a family we can be so proud of, and it is now time to create our own paths."

While their love story was marked by drama, including two previous attempts at divorce and allegations of infidelity from both sides, it seems that the unlikely catalyst for their separation was "Hannah Montana," the Disney show that propelled their daughter Miley Cyrus to stardom. In a 2011 interview with GQ, Billy Ray claimed that the show tore their family apart, though Tish refuted these allegations during an appearance on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast.

Even though Billy Ray and Tish clearly have different memories of how "Hannah Montana" impacted their family, their marriage ultimately unraveled when Tish decided to embrace her true self, as she revealed to Alexandra Cooper on "Call Her Daddy." Tish reflected, "[I was] looking at myself being like, 'What in the heck are you doing?' So I literally just had made that firm decision, and I was like, 'I'm moving on with my life.'" Subsequently, Tish married "Prison Break" star Dominic Purcell, while Billy Ray tied the knot with Firerose, a musician who is reportedly 28 years his junior.

In 2011, Billy Ray Cyrus talked to GQ about his life, fame, and "Hannah Montana," shocking many when he stated that he wished he'd never done the mega-popular Disney sitcom. "It destroyed my family. I'll tell you right now — the damn show destroyed my family," he candidly remarked, continuing, "I'd take it back in a second." The "Achy Breaky Heart" singer explained, "For my family to be here and just be everybody okay, safe and sound, happy and normal, would have been fantastic. I'd erase [all involvement in "Hannah Montana"] in a second if I could."

In the Disney show, Billy Ray portrayed Robby Ray Stewart, the father of Hannah Montana (or Miley Stewart, if you wish), the character played by Miley Cyrus. While one would've anticipated the real-life father-daughter duo to flourish during their collaboration on such an iconic piece of pop culture, it appears that for Billy Ray, the experience was more akin to a nightmare.

Nevertheless, nine years later, during a conversation with Hollywood Life about a potential prequel to "Hannah Montana," Billy Ray's perspective shifted. "I would do that in a heartbeat," the musician remarked. However, he clarified that his willingness stemmed primarily from the opportunity to revive his iconic mullet hairstyle. Clearly, the experience wasn't all that bad, with Tish Cyrus also remembering it on a more positive note.

During her appearance on Alexandra Cooper's "Call Her Daddy" podcast, Tish Cyrus revealed that she was the one who encouraged Billy Ray Cyrus to pursue a role in "Hannah Montana." Following the success of "Achy Breaky Heart," Billy Ray's career had slowed down, and Tish saw an opportunity when she learned that producers were interested in him for the Disney show. With their family frequently traveling between locations, particularly with Billy Ray working in Canada at the time, Tish saw the chance to consolidate their family life by having him audition for the role of the father on "Hannah Montana," which was based in Los Angeles. Despite the substantial pay cut, Tish believed it was worth it to keep the family together.

Brandi Cyrus, Tish's daughter from a previous marriage, who was also present during the podcast session, countered Billy Ray's notion that their family was negatively affected by "Hannah Montana." She stated, "I mean, the family's not destroyed, first of all. We're doing great."

Interestingly, had Billy Ray not taken on the role in the Disney sitcom, he would not have met his current wife, Firerose. According to his interview with People, the two first crossed paths on the set of "Hannah Montana" in 2010, proving Billy Ray's Disney experience to have been more magical than he might remember it.