Firerose opens up about alleged abuse by Billy Ray Cyrus, revealing details of their tumultuous marriage and her fight for justice amid a bitter divorce.
Bollywood Fever: Firerose Cyrus believed country star Billy Ray Cyrus when he told her, “One day, we’re going to have an epic love story beyond what anyone could imagine.” However, just seven months into their marriage, the couple finds themselves embroiled in a bitter divorce filled with accusations of abuse from both sides.
In an exclusive interview with Page Six, Firerose, 36, detailed how the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer and father of Miley Cyrus allegedly kicked her out of their Tennessee home on the same day she was scheduled to undergo a double mastectomy. Diagnosed with the BRCA1 gene, Firerose is at high risk for developing breast cancer.
Through a cracked voice, Firerose recounted how Billy Ray, 62, screamed at her and made her feel imprisoned at their secluded farm near Nashville. “Billy had very strict rules,” Firerose said. “I didn’t have a car. I was only allowed to go to the local chiropractor and once a month to get my nails done. It was systematic isolation, and I couldn’t find the courage to leave.”
Firerose claimed that friends and family were banned from visiting, adding, “If I had to send a text, I had to read it out to him for permission. It was the same for email.”
“It felt like Firerose was in a prison that she didn’t sign up for,” a close friend and stylist told Page Six.
The stress became so overwhelming that Firerose fainted two days before their wedding last October and was taken to the hospital. She also claimed Billy Ray would give her the silent treatment for hours and even days. “I withdrew … I was afraid to talk,” she said.
Firerose, whose real name is Johanna Rose Hodges, first met Billy Ray at a Hollywood studio in 2010 when he was still married to his second wife, Tish. Despite the 26-year age difference, they became friends. Billy Ray described them as “soulmates” and promised a legendary love story.
However, it wasn’t until 2020, after Billy Ray tracked her down to collaborate on a duet of Tanya Tucker’s “Delta Dawn,” that their relationship turned romantic. He continually told her he was getting divorced, citing complications due to his children and long marriage.
“I would never ever have entered into a relationship with a married man, but he was such a great manipulator,” Firerose said.
After moving from Los Angeles to Tennessee in 2022, Firerose claimed Billy Ray soon isolated her from everyone except her AA sponsor. Friends and family became worried, and sources told Page Six that they noticed a significant change in her well-being.
Firerose also alleged that Billy Ray became verbally abusive, with Page Six reviewing evidence of him yelling at her. “He would rage at me, shout at me at the top of his lungs. He would terrify me, yelling, ‘You stupid dumb f–ing b–ch, crazy w–re,’” she recounted.
Despite these issues, the couple got engaged in August 2022. Firerose claimed that Billy Ray’s erratic behavior continued up to their wedding day. She suffered from migraines due to stress and fainted just two days before their wedding, resulting in another hospital visit.
The couple married at their farm in October 2023. “It definitely wasn’t this abundance of joy,” a close friend and stylist said. “Billy Ray didn’t want her family there. He was very picky about who could come to the property.”
Firerose eventually drove to see a therapist, only to be yelled at by Billy Ray for discussing him, she alleged. She decided to have a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with the BRCA1 gene mutation, but Billy Ray kicked her out and filed for divorce on May 23 — the very day the surgery was planned.
In new legal documents filed Monday, Billy Ray claimed he was “physically, verbally and emotionally abused” by Firerose. His manager, Scott Adkins, claimed to have witnessed the abuse. Billy Ray also denied the allegations of abuse towards Firerose, accusing her of isolating him from his family in court filings.
Firerose called the legal battle “excruciatingly painful,” adding, “This is a smear campaign by the person I was deeply in love with for four years and in a relationship with, and who has decided to wage full-blown war against me.”
A friend of Firerose’s, who works in mental health, confirmed the abuse. “As a victim of abuse myself, she felt comfortable confiding in me about her experiences, and I could tell she was becoming worn down,” they told Page Six.
In a motion filed earlier this month, Billy Ray accused Firerose of committing fraud to marry him and boost her music career. He claimed she lied about her identity and previous marriage on their marriage license.
Firerose admitted to having a previous marriage but denied any wrongdoing. She said she had tried to tell Billy Ray about her past relationships, but he didn’t want to know. “When Billy decided to discard me, it was [in] a brutal way,” she said. “I would never treat another human being so cruelly.”
Firerose is now living with a friend in Tennessee and feels ready to speak out. “Knowing so many other women and people who are survivors of domestic abuse makes me realize I have to find courage,” she said. “I have an obligation. If I can’t use my public platform, then what chance does anybody have?”
There will be another court hearing on Monday, Page Six reported.
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