Miley Cyrus Opens Up About Billy Ray Estrangement in David Letterman Interview

Miley Cyrus opened up about her estrangement from her father, Billy Ray, during the singer’s interview with David Letterman on the latest episode of the former Late Show host’s Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.

During the chat, addressing the rumored rift between the Cyrus clan, Letterman asked Miley point blank, “There’s not estrangement here with your father, it’s just kinda the way things are played?”

“Yeah,” Miley told the host. “I think what is so beautiful is that my parents, they served their children. My parents served us and sacrificed so much for us. Anything we dreamed of, they made possible.”

The tension in the Cyrus family reportedly dates back to when Miley’s parents, Tish and Billy Ray, divorced in April 2022. Miley seemed to align with her mother, who has since married actor Dominic Purcell. That actor was allegedly dating Cyrus’ sister and Tish’s daughter Noah prior to his relationship with Tish, resulting in a rift between Noah and Tish, People reports. Billy Ray would later marry singer Firerose in October 2023, but he filed for divorce earlier this week.

Despite all the drama, Miley was complimentary of both her parents in the Letterman interview, particularly her country star father. “I’m grateful for, first, his genes — my dad has great hair, and I got that,” Cyrus said. “But he has a relationship and a foot on the ground to the real and to nature, and he always did, even when he was super famous. I’m grateful for being able to watch him ahead of me. He’s almost, like, given me this map, and there is a map of what to do and what not to do, and he’s been — he’s guided me on both.

She later admitted, though, “I also inherited the narcissism from my father.” 

As for her mom, Miley noted how Tish was adopted into a loving family that made her better equipped to be a mother. “My mom was chosen — her parents couldn’t have children — and so my mom came into this world being wanted and being loved and being given the most beautiful life,” Cyrus said. “Like, my grandmother spoiled not only her, but me completely rotten. My dad didn’t have that.” She added, “My mom is my hero.”