Billy Ray Cyrus 'Deeply Hurt' by Superstar Daughter Miley Dropping Surname — 'Now I Know How Brad Pitt Feels'
Billy Ray Cyrus is quietly hurting after daughter Miley dropped his family name, according to a source.
Sept. 3 2026, Published 5:16 p.m. ET
Billy Ray Cyrus has been left "deeply hurt" by his superstar daughter Miley dropping his family name, according to new claims.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the country star, 65, has told pals he feels like Brad Pitt, who's seen five of his children he shares with ex-wife Angelina Jolie drop Pitt from their surname.
Fears Daughter Is Distancing Herself From Family
Billy Ray reportedly fears his daughter is 'leaving a piece of him behind.'
Miley, 33, has recently stripped "Cyrus" from her social media identity, presenting herself simply as "Miley", just like many of her contemporaries who are famous enough to need only one name.
A family source told Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice Substack: "Billy is deeply hurt. He's incredibly proud that Miley has become bigger than the Cyrus name. But he gave his daughter that name."
"Watching her publicly decide she doesn’t need it anymore feels like she's leaving a piece of him behind," added the source.
Billy Ray recently responded to Miley’s name dumping by posting a throwback photo with Miley and son Braison and declaring, "Family means more than ever now."
He noted that he had always called his daughter simply "Miley" — never needing the surname himself.
But insiders suggest that deep down, he’s hurting.
Cruise And Pitt Have Suffered Similar Pain
Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt have seen their kids drop surnames.
The source added: "Billy suddenly understands how Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise must feel. Whatever happens inside a family, watching your child publicly stop using your name is emotional."
"You can tell yourself it’s branding, but you’re still their dad."
Cruise's estranged daughter Suri recently dropped his surname, and now uses Noelle — her mom Katie Holmes' middle name.
According to sources that are close to Miley, this isn’t punishment. It’s positioning.
“She believes she's reached Madonna, Cher and Beyoncé territory,” shared the insider. "One name is enough."
Miley announced that her new album is titled Bass Persuades and will be released on September 18 via Atlantic Records.
Rebranding for New Album
The singer is excited about her new album release.
The tracklist for the album includes 10 songs, plus features from Model/Actriz and Miike Snow's Andrew Wyatt.
Miley will promote the album with a rare return to the stage courtesy of a two-night stint at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 16 and 18.
"Music takes hold of us. We feel it, sing it, sometimes dance to it, let it out and carry on. It is powerful, vulnerable, sweet and strong," Miley wrote in announcing the album. "Heart full, heartache, every part of life in between. That’s what the title means to me. Thank you for being a part of making my wildest dreams come true. I sincerely hope you love this album."
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Miley lauded her father in recent interview.
While rumors have persisted for years about tensions between Miley and Billy Ray, the duo reunited earlier this year on the Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special.
Miley told People at the time that music is how the two have always stayed bonded, even amid family hardships.
"It’s really the way we communicate," she said. "Whether it’s sending a song we wrote in a text or writing a poem that says how we feel in a way that’s authentic to us, it’s always been the way we share our feelings."
