The Messiest Moments From Billy Ray Cyrus And Firerose's Divorce
"For both of us to hear the preacher say, 'Billy Ray and Firerose Cyrus... I now pronounce you husband and wife' that was the sacred moment our new forever began. Long Live Love!" Famous last words from singer Billy Ray Cyrus, who toasted his new marriage to fellow musician Firerose on Instagram the day after their wedding ceremony. Just months later, they would be entwined in a messy divorce.
The couple first met in 2010, when Billy Ray stepped away from the set of "Hannah Montana" for a walk with his dog. Firerose was just coming out of an audition and approached him. It was a strictly platonic move since the "Achy Breaky Heart" singer was already married to longtime wife Tish Cyrus. Billy Ray invited her on set for introductions, and the two kept in touch. When Billy Ray and Tish were in the process of separating in 2020, he turned to songwriting, inviting his friend Firerose to collaborate. Their relationship evolved, and after Billy Ray and Tish's divorce became final, the two were officially married on October 10, 2023.
Although they filled each other's Instagram feeds with couple photos and messages of everlasting love, there were signs that Billy Ray and Firerose's marriage wouldn't last. Their union came to a screeching halt when news broke on June 11, 2024, that Billy Ray had filed for divorce, citing a separation date of May 22. The fact that the marriage only lasted seven months is just the tip of the melting, messy iceberg. Their divorce has been anything but amicable.
Cyrus gave Firerose two days to move out
The public became aware of Billy Ray Cyrus's divorce from Firerose in mid-June, but the split actually happened weeks earlier. He filed paperwork in Nashville on May 23, 2024, and gave May 22 as their official separation date.
That same paperwork noted that Cyrus told Firehouse she had to be out of his house by May 24 — giving her two days to pack up and move on. He did bestow an allowance of $500 a night for ten nights, giving her less than two weeks to find something permanent. He then offered her $5000 a month toward permanent housing, but only for three months, or until their marriage was dissolved.
Cyrus also asked for an annulment, citing the marriage was fraudulent. If granted, an annulment would mean that, legally, the marriage never happened. In that case, there might not be a reason for any division of assets — everything would revert back to the original owner. Another reason for the annulment request is that they are usually quicker than actual divorces, meaning Cyrus' promise to pay for Firerose's monthly housing could be fulfilled much more quickly.
Cyrus filed a restraining order against Firerose
Three weeks after filing divorce papers, Billy Ray Cyrus introduced more paperwork into his relationship with Firerose. On June 13, he submitted an emergency request to the Tennessee courts, asking for a restraining order against his future ex-wife. The reason: to stop her from using his credit cards.
According to the documents obtained by People, Firerose used Cyrus' business credit card 37 times in a matter of weeks, starting with the day he filed for divorce on May 23. The charges totaled $96,986, with $70,665 to pay for attorneys hired by Firerose.
In an affidavit that accompanied the motion, Cyrus said he was concerned she would use his personal information and spend even more using his credit cards and accounts. He requested that she return everything she charged and have the credit card refunded. Firerose's lawyers shot back a response that she was simply continuing to use the credit cards as she always had, which is within her rights until the divorce is final.
Firerose accused Cyrus of domestic abuse and addiction
Billy Ray Cyrus is the one who filed for divorce from his wife Firerose in May 2024, but it was only a matter of days before she legally fired back. On June 14, the native Australian submitted her own counter-divorce paperwork to the Tennessee courts. While Cyrus's initial filings were more generic when he simply claimed the marriage was fraudulent, Firerose got very specific in her complaints against her husband.
"Wife was the victim of extreme verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse," read the official document, according to People. It accused Cyrus of using drugs that made him volatile and that he created an unsafe and chaotic living environment, putting her in an "emotional and psychological prison." It was also noted that she was scheduled to have a preventative double mastectomy on May 24, the day after Cyrus' official divorce filing, but she has since had to cancel due to her uncertain living and financial situation.
Firerose and Cyrus released several songs together, and in her court filing, she also accused Cyrus of sabotaging her career. She claims her manager and booking agent fired her at Cyrus's request, and she's losing out on $415,000 of income. As such, she's looking for a payout beyond her temporary housing allowance in the form of regular alimony.
Cyrus clapped back with his own dirty details
In response to Firerose's allegations of domestic abuse and her other complaints, Billy Ray Cyrus took off his gloves and released all the details of their failed marriage into the wild. He filed an amendment on June 17 to his original divorce petition. In a statement obtained by "Today," his lawyers explained, "We regret that Ms. Hodges has chosen to litigate this 7-month marriage in the press and has left Mr. Cyrus with no recourse but to set the record straight." (Firerose's legal name is Johanna Rosie Hodges.)
Firerose accused the singer of abuse, and in return, he and his legal team released a handwritten note and a screenshot of a text message. Firerose wrote both communications to Cyrus after he filed for divorce, and both declared her love and her desire to stay married. "If Mr. Cyrus was truly guilty of the allegations that [Firerose] alleges in her pleadings," Cyrus' lawyers told People, "Then it is mindboggling to try and explain why she would want to return to live with him."
His initial paperwork stated the marriage was fraudulent but offered no specifics. In the new documents, he reveals that Firerose completely misrepresented herself. She said she had never been married before, but she had. Cyrus discovered that Hodges wasn't her birth name but her first husband's surname.
Cyrus claims Firerose abused him
With the stack of court documents climbing higher and higher, it may be only a matter of time before the number exceeds the 28-year age gap between Billy Ray Cyrus and Firerose. After seven months of marriage and multiple court filings and public statements, the divorce keeps getting messier. After Firerose accused husband Cyrus of verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse, the "Sharknado 2" star turned the tables. On June 24, he submitted even more documents to Williamson County Chancery Court in Tennessee, accusing Firerose of being the abuser.
One of the documents, obtained by USA Today, stated that while Cyrus "would acknowledge that he was certainly vocal, frustrated, and angry with the Defendant [Firerose] in May 2024, it is the Plaintiff [Cyrus] who, in fact, has been abused. ... not only verbally and emotionally ... but also physically abused." People also shared an affidavit that was included, with Cyrus' manager, Scott Adkins, swearing he had seen the abuse firsthand.
Cyrus also claimed Firerose threatened him. When he confronted her about having been previously married and where the last name "Hodges" came from, his wife told him if he filed for divorce, she would tell everyone he did it because of her double mastectomy — a threat she followed through on. It looks as if things will get worse before the divorce is finalized between the two.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.