Miley Cyrus reunites with Billy Ray in Hannah Montana special after years of family tension | indy100

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The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special has officially landed on Disney+, just as millennials prepare to clock off at 5 and unwind by revisiting their favourite childhood show.

The special features nostalgic performances, celebrity guests including Selena Gomez and Chappell Roan, and an intimate interview hosted by Call Her Daddy’s Alex Cooper. Family members also join Miley Cyrus on set, including her mum, Tish, and dad, Billy Ray Cyrus.

While Billy Ray missed the premiere earlier this week, he does make a wholesome appearance during a segment of the hour-long special, where the pair caught up about the earlier days, the audition process and recited lines together from the show.

However, fans were seemingly caught off guard by his surprise appearance, given the pair's complicated history.

In 2011, Billy Ray gave a candid interview with GQ, claiming Hannah Montana "destroyed" his family. When asked whether he wished the Disney show had never happened, he quipped: "I hate to say it, but yes, I do. Yeah. I’d take it back in a second."

Fast forward two years, and Miley’s parents filed for divorce, only to reunite a month later and remain together for another nine years.

The pair officially divorced in 2022, amid rumours that Miley became estranged from her father. It wasn’t until her appearance on Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky in 2025 that Miley publicly hinted at a disconnect.

"Half of us weren’t speaking to each other at one point," she shared, adding that she had "a lot of loyalty" for her mother after the divorce.

In a 2025 Instagram statement, Miley acknowledged the "challenges over the years," but ultimately revealed her family are now her "priority above all else".

Miley Cyrus/Instagram

Then, later in the year, when Miley announced her engagement to Maxx Morando, her dad took to Instagram to share his best wishes.

Billy Ray Cyrus/Instagram

Billy Ray is now dating Elizabeth Hurley, making their relationship public over Easter 2025. Reflecting on how they met, he revealed it came at a particularly low point in his life.

"Suddenly, I get a text from a number I don’t recognise. It says, ‘The vultures are circling, but I’m in your corner,'" he shared while appearing on The Masked Singer.

"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," he added.

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Now, Billy Ray has appeared on the 20-year special, leaving fans equally ecstatic and emotional about their reunion.

"The best father/daughter duo is backkkk," one penned, as another shared: "A little girl and her dad, I gonna cry."

Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special is available to stream now on Disney+

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