Singer Firerose has accused her estranged husband Billy Ray Cyrus of “extreme verbal, emotional and psychological abuse.”
Cyrus, who filed to divorce Firerose (real name Johanna Rose Hodges) on May 22, separately accused her of attempting to “isolate” him from at least one of his daughters.
Firerose, 36, filed her counter-complaint against Cyrus, 62, on June 14. In the court documents, obtained by People magazine, Firerose called Cyrus “unpredictable and volatile” and alleged the Achy Breaky Heart singer has substance abuse issues.
Her lawyers wrote in the complaint that Cyrus’ “persistent drug use accompanied with the consumption of marijuana” made her feel unsafe in the Tennessee home where they lived together.
She said in the weeks leading up to Cyrus’ divorce filing, he trapped her “into an emotional and psychological prison” and “continuously launched verbal assaults.”
In a statement, Cyrus’ lawyers said Firerose’s allegations “left Mr. Cyrus with no recourse but to set the record straight.”
Cyrus’ lawyers said he was “defrauded in his inducement to marry Ms. Hodges,” a claim he already made in his initial divorce filing.
The lawyers said Firerose’s counter-complaint is “especially confusing and suspicious in its veracity since she begged Mr. Cyrus to forgive her and take her back only 2 days after he filed his pleadings to dissolve his marriage.”
They provided entertainment publication US Weekly with a handwritten note, allegedly penned by Firerose, asking Cyrus to “work it out” together. The lawyers also shared a text they claim was sent by Firerose to Cyrus that insisted she did not want to “live without” him and was “praying with my entire soul that we find each other again.”
“If Mr. Cyrus was truly guilty of the allegations that Ms. Hodges alleges in her pleadings, then it is mind-boggling to try and explain why she would want to return to live with him,” the lawyers wrote in their statement. “Furthermore, she was pleading with him to give her a chance to explain everything to him.”
In her counter-complaint, Firerose also accused Cyrus of filing for divorce only two days before she was scheduled to undergo a preventative double mastectomy on May 24. Firerose was diagnosed as a carrier of the BRCA1 gene mutation in 2020, which has increased risks of several cancers, according to the complaint.
Firerose has since postponed the surgery. She told the court Cyrus paid for her health insurance and that he said he would cover any additional costs, though he “has now repudiated that promise.”
The court filing also alleges Cyrus’ brother and sister-in-law entered the home where he lived with Firerose and tried to force her to move out. The document claims they banged at her bedroom door for three-and-a-half hours in an attempt to get her to vacate.
Firerose, who has requested alimony, has since moved out of the residence.
She said Cyrus had a “direct hand” in restricting her “access to income and future opportunities.”
Billy Ray Cyrus says Firerose ‘isolated’ him from his family
Cyrus filed an amendment to his initial divorce complaint on June 17, in which he alleges Firerose was “conducting a campaign to isolate” him from at least one of his daughters.
He said the isolation began in May, after Cyrus filed for divorce, as reported by People.
The country singer has three daughters, Miley and Noah Cyrus, who he shares with his ex-wife Tish Cyrus, as well as his oldest daughter Brandi Cyrus, who is Tish’s daughter from a previous relationship and was adopted by Cyrus.
Cyrus told the court Firerose “blocked” communication from at least one of his daughters, who had been trying to reach him through phone calls or on his electronic devices.
(It is not clear which daughter, or daughters, Cyrus is referring to.)
Some fans of the Cyrus family have speculated there is an ongoing rift between Cyrus and his daughter Miley, who noticeably did not mention him in her Grammy acceptance speech in February. Though the father and daughter have never publicly confirmed the state of their relationship, Miley told David Letterman this month that she inherited “narcissism” from her father.
Cyrus is seeking a temporary restraining order against Firerose.
He claimed that after he submitted the divorce filing, Firerose used his business credit card to make 37 unauthorized purchases totalling about US$97,000 (about C$133,000). Cyrus’ temporary restraining order would make it so that Firerose cannot access his cards. He requested to be reimbursed for the 37 charges.
Firerose’s lawyer submitted a court response to Cyrus’ amendment and said the allegations about unauthorized charges are “untrue.”
“Throughout the divorce proceedings, the parties are to live as per the status quo during the marriage,” the response reads. “Wife was simply living as she has since October 10, 2023, and Husband has no right to cut her off.”
Cyrus’ amendment also accused Firerose of lying about being married twice before and of lying about her surname. He told the court Firerose was using the Cyrus last name to further her own music and entertainment career.
Firerose herself has not commented publicly on the new allegations made in the ongoing divorce proceedings.
The couple married in October 2023. Their divorce came seven months after tying the knot, with Cyrus citing irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct as reason for the separation.
In her counter-complaint, Firerose denied any inappropriate marital conduct.
Cyrus told the court he is also seeking to annul the marriage on the grounds of fraud, the exact details of which are unclear.
Cyrus was previously married to Tish Cyrus, though the couple divorced in April 2022 after 28 years of marriage. Together, they share five children: Miley, Noah and Brandi, and sons Trace (who, like Brandi, was also adopted by Cyrus) and Braison.
Cyrus also has one other child with his ex-girlfriend Kristen Luckey, son Christopher Cody. He was earlier married to Cindy Smith from 1986 until 1991, making Firerose his third wife.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.
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