Elizabeth Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus: Who took the first step?

Nobody had this romance on the screen. On Easter Sunday, US Country singer Billy Ray Cyrus (63) and British actress Elizabeth Hurley (59) did. In that, Billy Ray Cyrus now revealed how it put unequal couples at first glance.

Accordingly, he got a text message from Elizabeth Hurley when he needed it most urgently. When exactly, the father of superstar Miley Cyrus (32) did not reveal. He only gave the price that he was in a difficult phase of life at that time. In the summer of 2024, after only seven months, Cyrus had submitted divorce from the Australian Firerose. In January 2025, he had caused negative headlines with one as part of the inauguration of US President Donald Trump (78). His children were concerned about his state of health.

“Back then I really thought: ‘Wow, can life get even tougher? Can it get worse for me?'”, Billy Ray Cyrus continued in the podcast interview. “At some point I was at a point where it just didn’t go deeper – if life really hits you, you only lie on the back on the back.”

But “a friend reported exactly at that moment,” said the “Achy Breaky Heart” interpreter. The message was roughly as follows: “Hey, I have the impression that life is quite difficult for you. I just wanted to tell you that you are not alone – I’m at your side.”

Billy Ray Cyrus did not know the number from which the news came, and therefore asked back: “Who are you?” The answer: Elizabeth Hurley. “Of all people, of all the people who could help me at that moment, it was this friend who had mostly lacked me and finally brought me back to laugh,” said Cyrus.

The two had already met in 2022 during the shooting of “Christmas in Paradise”. In the Christmas film with “Frasier” star Kelsey Grammer (70), they only had a few scenes together. But the chemistry was right, Cyrus recalled. After the shoot, however, they would have lost sight of each other.

Also in 2022, Billy Ray Cyrus went through a difficult phase: after 30 years of marriage, his wife Tish (57) separated from him. “We just laughed together – and that at a time when I didn’t feel often to laugh,” said the father of six children about the collaboration with the British actress, who was famous in the 90s as Hugh Grants (64) partner.

Elizabeth Hurley, in turn, has the son Damian (23) with the late US businessman Steve Bing. He seems to have a positive effect on Billy Ray Cyrus’ relationship – after all, he has given her love post on Instagram with a like.