Sometimes the most unexpected messages arrive at the most necessary moments, and from them, entire lives are quietly rerouted. Billy Ray Cyrus, 64, and Elizabeth Hurley, 60, have confirmed a romance that began not on a film set but in the private language of a text sent to a man at his lowest — a gesture that would eventually lead to red carpets, public declarations, and a daughter's hard-won understanding that parents, too, are simply people finding their way.
Billy Ray Cyrus reveals how mysterious text from Liz Hurley sparked their romance
The vultures are circling, but I'm in your corner
Mark
So a text message from a stranger that turned out to be Liz Hurley—how does that even happen? How does someone not recognize the number?
Mimi
He was going through something really hard when his marriage ended. Sometimes when you're in that state, you're not thinking clearly about who might reach out. The message itself was so thoughtful, so perfectly timed, that maybe the mystery of it mattered less than what it said.
Luke
But we should be careful here. We know Cyrus says he didn't recognize the number. We know Hurley sent it. What we don't actually know is whether she had his number before or if she looked it up, or how that worked. The story as told is romantic, but the mechanics are still a bit unclear.
Mark
They'd met four years earlier on a movie set. Why the gap? Why did it take until 2024 for anything to happen?
Mimi
They had chemistry on set, apparently, but they were both living their lives. He was married. She was doing her own thing. Sometimes the timing just isn't there until it is. When his marriage fell apart, she saw an opening to reach out—not to pursue him, but to be a friend.
Luke
Right, and that's what the reporting says. But we're relying on sources and on what Cyrus himself has said. We don't have Hurley's full account of why she reached out when she did, or what she was thinking. We're getting one side of the story.
Mark
Miley's comment about viewing her parents as individuals—that's a pretty significant shift from not thanking her dad at the Grammys.
Mimi
People grow up. She was younger then, maybe angrier about family stuff. Now she's old enough to see her parents as complete people with their own struggles and happiness. That's maturity.
Luke
The reporting connects those two moments, but we should note that we don't have a direct quote from Miley about the Grammy snub or what changed. We have her reflection on how she views her parents now, which is thoughtful, but the causation between the snub and this new perspective—that's implied, not stated.
Il Polso
- A text from an unknown number — 'the vultures are circling, but I'm in your corner' — arrived when Cyrus was at his most vulnerable after his third marriage collapsed, and it changed everything.
- Hurley, deliberate and private by nature, held the connection close until she was certain something real existed, only stepping forward once Cyrus reached out again in 2024.
- The couple surfaced publicly at Easter 2024, then announced themselves to the world with a backstage kiss at the 2025 National Television Awards and a social media post in which Hurley simply wrote: 'I'm in love.'
- Miley Cyrus, once visibly distant from her father, has offered a quiet endorsement — acknowledging that her parents are individuals with their own stories, and that their happiness is what matters most.
Sometimes the most unexpected messages arrive at the most necessary moments, and from them, entire lives are quietly rerouted. Billy Ray Cyrus, 64, and Elizabeth Hurley, 60, have confirmed a romance that began not on a film set but in the private language of a text sent to a man at his lowest — a gesture that would eventually lead to red carpets, public declarations, and a daughter's hard-won understanding that parents, too, are simply people finding their way.
Billy Ray Cyrus and Liz Hurley first met on the set of Christmas In Paradise in 2022, but their story didn't begin there. It began in silence and difficulty — when Cyrus's third marriage ended and he found himself, by his own account, at his lowest point.
Into that silence came a text from an unrecognized number: 'The vultures are circling, but I'm in your corner.' Cyrus didn't know who had sent it. When he discovered it was Hurley, something shifted. He later described the moment on The Masked Singer, after being unmasked as Owl: the words were as beautiful as the person behind them, a first date followed, and the chemistry was undeniable.
Hurley, according to those close to the pair, was careful. She wanted to be sure something genuine existed before allowing it to become public. When Cyrus reached out again after his marriage ended in 2024, she was ready. She had, sources say, been quietly instrumental in helping him through the hardest stretch.
They made things official around Easter 2024. By the 2025 National Television Awards, they were ready for the world — photographed kissing backstage, and soon after, Hurley posted a birthday tribute that ended simply: 'I'm in love. Feeling very blessed and grateful.'
The relationship has also gently repaired something closer to home. Miley Cyrus, who had seemed distant from her father in recent years, has offered a measured but meaningful endorsement — reflecting that parents are not just parents, but people with their own feelings and their own stories, and that their happiness is what matters most.
Billy Ray Cyrus, now 64, has been dating British actress Liz Hurley, 60, since last year, and he recently opened up about how their relationship began in a way neither of them could have predicted. The two first crossed paths in 2022 while filming the movie Christmas In Paradise together, but their story didn't truly begin until years later, after Cyrus's third marriage to singer Firerose had fallen apart.
When Cyrus was at what he describes as his lowest point, a text arrived from an unknown number. The message read: "The vultures are circling, but I'm in your corner." He didn't immediately recognize who had sent it. The sender turned out to be Hurley, reaching out to check on him during a difficult stretch. Cyrus later explained the moment on The Masked Singer after being unmasked as Owl: "The thing is, I didn't know who sent it. It turned out to be from someone I least expected. This girl was just as beautiful as her words. We went out for a date, and our chemistry was real. We've been together ever since."
According to people close to the pair, Hurley had been deliberate about keeping their connection private at first. A source told The Sun that she wanted to be certain something genuine existed between them before going public. When Cyrus's marriage ended in 2024, he reached out to her again, and the two began dating. Hurley, the source said, had been instrumental in helping him navigate that difficult period.
They made their relationship official last Easter, and by the 2025 National Television Awards in the UK, they were ready for their red carpet debut. Photographers captured them kissing backstage at the ceremony. Shortly after, Hurley posted a birthday message on social media that doubled as a public declaration. Alongside a photograph, she wrote about her three decades working with Estée Lauder, the 20th anniversary of her beach brand, and added: "I'm in love." She signed off with "Feeling very blessed and grateful."
Since then, the couple has shared what Cyrus calls their "smitten selfies" and public declarations of affection. Their openness has delighted fans who have watched the relationship unfold across social media and red carpet appearances.
The romance has also shifted the family dynamic. Miley Cyrus, who starred alongside her father on Disney's Hannah Montana from 2006 to 2011, had appeared distant from him in recent years—most notably when she didn't thank him during her 2023 Grammy acceptance speech. But her perspective has evolved. According to The Mirror, Miley reflected on her parents' relationships by saying: "When you are younger, I think you just view your parents as mom and dad rather than individuals with feelings, with faults, with their own story. The most important thing for both my parents is that they are happy, and it's clear to see they both are." Her endorsement suggests that whatever tension existed between father and daughter has softened, at least when it comes to their personal lives.
Citazioni salienti
This girl was just as beautiful as her words. We went out for a date, and our chemistry was real. We've been together ever since.— Billy Ray Cyrus, speaking about Liz Hurley
The most important thing for both my parents is that they are happy, and it's clear to see they both are.— Miley Cyrus, on her parents' relationships
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