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Billy Ray Cyrus recently opened up about how his relationship with actress Elizabeth Hurley came to be, revealing that it was during one of the most difficult periods of his life that Hurley reached out to him and helped him rediscover happiness.
The two first met in 2022 while filming Christmas in Paradise, although their interactions were minimal. Despite sharing few scenes, Billy Ray noted that there was an immediate chemistry between them, saying, "The oddest part was first, how much we laughed. Second, I figured we were so different, but in some very strange way, we had way more in common than we had different." However, after filming wrapped, they did not stay in touch for two years.
During this time, Billy Ray faced personal struggles, including his recent separation from his wife, Tish Cyrus. At his lowest point, he received a message from an unknown number that would change everything. "I felt like, 'Wow, can life get any harder? Can it get any tougher?'" Billy Ray recalled. "For me, at a certain point, it was like, you can't get knocked down any flatter than lying on your back when life is kicking you. And in this moment... a friend reached out."
The message, which was from Elizabeth Hurley, offered him words of support: "Hey, it looks like life might be a little bit tough and just wanted you to know I'm in your corner; you've got a friend in your corner." Surprised by the message, Billy Ray responded, not immediately recognizing who it was. When he discovered it was Elizabeth, he felt grateful, saying, "Of all the people to reach out to me in that second that maybe I needed most... this friend who made me laugh."
"She's so impressively brilliant. She reminds me a lot of Dolly Parton. She's a very smart businesswoman," he said. "If you can laugh together, you can make it through everything."
Their relationship, now publicly confirmed through shared social media posts, has blossomed in the months following that pivotal moment. Billy Ray expressed how happy he has been, saying, "It's just been beautiful, and again, no expectations of where we go from here other than her and her son — I do love him a lot, and it's great that God brought them into my life when he did."
The couple, who recently shared a loving Easter photo, have now become an internet sensation, with Billy Ray teasing that more photos, including one where Elizabeth kisses him, will be shared soon. "There will be one coming where she's kissing me because people have been saying, 'Why's he always kissing her?'" he joked. "Unfortunately when I see her, when she puts her cheek out there, I don't know what happens, I just kiss it."
For Billy Ray, this relationship has brought a sense of happiness and peace that he hadn't felt in a long time. "It's been a long time since I've been this happy," he said, reflecting on the joy Elizabeth has brought into his life.
