It’s been years since Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth ended their relationship after less than a year of marriage. In many ways, songs have mapped every ebb and flow of this couple’s decade-long relationship.
The pair initially fell in love and grew apart between The Last Song‘s “When I Look at You” and Cyrus’ own song “Wrecking Ball.” “Malibu” solidified their reconciliation, and Cyrus’ single “Slide Away” marked their end. In 2020, her single “Midnight Sky” offered her perspective on the divorce, a year after the fact. And in 2023, Cyrus’ song “Flowers” sparked more theories her breakup from Hemsworth greatly inspired her work.
Later in the summer of 2023, Cyrus spoke plainly about her journey growing up. Her “Used to be Young” interview series gave more insight on how Hemsworth fit into the bigger story of her life.
A source told People at the time of their breakup, “They have a long history together, and that’s a huge part of why she has a hard time letting him go. At the end of the day, she wants to be happy, and she genuinely wants Liam to be happy too.” In August 2020, insiders told Entertainment Tonight that Cyrus and Hemsworth have steered clear of one another “because they have both needed this time to heal and move on.”
In the years since, they have not been seen together.
Here, a rundown of their emotional history, including Cyrus’ revelation that she lost her virginity to Hemsworth and what she said about Hemsworth in her 2023 “Used to be Young” TikTok series.
June 2009
Cyrus and Hemsworth met on the set of the Nicholas Sparks movie, The Last Song. The former Disney Channel star had previously been in a relationship with Nick Jonas.
January 2010
The co-stars were first spotted running errands in Los Angeles together. Speculation about the two dating offscreen began, especially when an onlooker spotted the two kissing at an airport, per People.
March 2010
In March, Cyrus and Hemsworth were seen taking a bike ride together, furthering rumors of a real-life romance. The two also appeared on the cover of Teen Vogue, where they avoided relationship questions.
It was all but confirmed that Cyrus and Hemsworth were a couple when they walked the red carpet of the Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscars after party. But the singer gave official word to E! News when she referred to the Aussie as “my boyfriend.”
Later that month, the pair attended the premiere of The Last Song, giving interviews about their “instant chemistry” and walking the carpet together.
April 2010
The following month, Cyrus and Hemsworth strolled through Los Angeles while enjoying lollipops. (Perhaps this influenced one of Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson’s first public outings as a couple…)
June 2010
Cyrus told MTV News that a lot of the songs on her edgy album, Can’t Be Tamed are about her new beau. “I tell him every one’s about him,” she joked to the outlet. Cyrus added, “All of them are about him in a way, but it’s also about past relationships that you gotta get over and move on and just about freeing yourself from anything that you feel holds you back.”
Throughout the month, photos of Hemsworth and Cyrus emerged on several outings. During this time, Cyrus also filmed the final season of Hannah Montana.
August 2010
The couple endured their first breakup. On August 25, sources confirmed to E! News that the couple had split. One source claimed it was due to Cyrus’s busy schedule. “Liam wanted more, but she’s 17 and has other priorities right now,” the insider explained. “He’s been a distraction.”
Another source told the outlet a different tale. This person alleged that Hemsworth may not have been totally faithful while Cyrus was away in Detroit filming the movie LOL. Still, another source predicted the couple’s on-off nature, adding, “They’re both young. To say they are done forever would be premature, but it’s safe to say for now they are doing their own thing.”
September 2010
About a month later, the couple was back on. Per a People report, the former co-stars were spotted running errands in Studio City. An eyewitness said, “Miley and Liam kept smiling and seemed to really enjoy their afternoon together. They acted like they had missed each other, kept chatting and seemed to be catching up. They definitely seemed like a couple again.”
November 2010
Before fans could get too comfortable with the pair’s reconciliation, a split struck once more. “They are, and have been, taking a break” a “Cyrus pal” told E! News. “It’s just a time out. He’s in Australia and she is on her European tour.” However, the source also said, “Don’t be surprised if they get back together.”
March 2011
About four months later, E! News talked to a “Liam pal” who said the former flames had been “hanging out a lot. They’ve been trying to do it away from the cameras.”
But perhaps in an effort to avoid another breakup, the insider said Hemsworth and Cyrus were “taking it slow and just enjoying each other’s company.”
December 2011
Further proof that Cyrus and Hemsworth are a couple came when they attend the CNN Heroes Tribute together.
January 2012
The very next month, the two arrived at the People’s Choice Awards together.
February 2012
Hemsworth covered the March 2012 issue of Details, where he discussed the origins of his relationship. “She makes me really happy,” he told the mag. “When you start, you want to be professional, but when you’re filming those scenes with someone and pretending to love them, you’re not human if you don’t feel something.”
Cyrus and Hemsworth also attended the Vanity Fair Oscars after party for the second time.
March 2012
Cyrus walked the red carpet of The Hunger Games premiere alongside Hemsworth.
The pair also made time to attend Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight Night XVIII.
That same month, Cyrus denied rumors of an engagement on Twitter after wearing a ring on that finger. She wrote, “I’m not engaged. I’ve worn this same ring on this finger since November! People just wanna find something to talk about! It’s a topaz people!”
May 2012
In May, an episode of Punk’d aired in which Cyrus is seen pranking Hemsworth. Luckily, he took the elaborate joke in stride.
June 2012
Nearly three months after Cyrus denied engagement rumors, the couple confirmed that they are officially set to be married. “I’m so happy to be engaged and look forward to a life of happiness with Liam,” Cyrus told People. Per the outlet, Hemsworth proposed to Cyrus on May 31 with a 3.5-carat Neil Lane ring.
On June 27, Cyrus officially debuted her latest accessory at the Australians In Film Awards.
November 2012
On an episode of Ellen, Cyrus explained that she’s in no hurry to plan a wedding, preferring to focus on her music instead. However, she shared that when it comes to the guest list, “It’s only the people that you really want there. It’s a day that you don’t have to say, ‘Well, I’m kind of obligated.’ I don’t ever feel like that. This is the one day that it’s what[ever] I choose, and every detail is things that I love.”
February 2013
A month after E! News obtained photos of the couple vacationing in Costa Rica, cheating accusations hit Cyrus. After Perez Hilton alleged that Cyrus cheated on Hemsworth with Gossip Girl actor Ed Westwick, she fought back on Twitter. “@perezhilton hope you find love one day but can you not fuck with mine,” she wrote. “I’ve never been with Ed W in my life. I was at the studio last night.”
Speculation intensified when Hemsworth and Cyrus attend separate Oscars afterparties. However, a source told E! that there is “no drama” behind the two going to different events. “They are totally together,” the insider said.
March 2013
When Cyrus was spotted leaving the recording studio, sans ring, split rumors spread once more. A Miley source told People that, “Miley still wants to get married,” although the couple “had some problems that they are working through.”
Once again, Cyrus weigeds in on the claims directly. She tweeted, “I am so sick of La. And sick of the lies that come with it. I didn’t call off my wedding. Taking a break from social media. #draining”
Days later, Cyrus posted two photos of herself in a unicorn onesie to Twitter. While that is exciting enough, fans were most quick to notice that her engagement ring was back on.
April 2013
In an interview with Nightline, Billy Ray Cyrus made some of his first public comments on his daughter’s engagement. When asked about a timeline on the couple’s nuptials, he offered, “They’re young. They’re kids. The great news is they’re great friends. They’re really really good friends. And if you end up getting married, that’s your business too, you know?”
People also reported that the wedding is indefinitely on hold. A source told the outlet, “They want to figure out their life together before they get married.” The source added that while the couple is “still engaged and living together, they just realized that there is no rush with the wedding and that it’s better that they wait a bit.”
Days later, a second report from People emerged, with a Miley source claiming that an argument led to the singer taking off her engagement ring once more.
August 2013
After months of anonymous sources spelling doom for the couple, Cyrus and Hemsworth attended the premiere of his movie Paranoid. It would be their last public appearance until the 2015 reconciliation.
About two weeks later, Cyrus’s now-infamous VMAs performance with Robin Thicke twerked into pop culture. A source told Us Weekly that Hemsworth found the performance to be “mortifying.” “He is over her and wants to make a clean break. No more back and forth.”
September 2013
By mid-September, Cyrus’s rep confirmed that her engagement to Hemsworth has been called off. A source told E! News that Hemsworth was in the process of moving out of Cyrus’s house. As for the cause of the split? The source said it was “Miley’s decision, after coming to grips with Liam being what she believed was less than faithful to her.” The week before, Hemsworth’s rep strongly denied rumors that he had been sexting Mad Men star January Jones.
However, the next day Hemsworth is caught kissing Baby Driver actor Eiza González in photos obtained by E! News. Soon after, Cyrus performed an emotional rendition of her new single “Wrecking Ball” at iHeartRadio Music Festival. In videos, she could be seen crying mid-performance.
Just in case you were wondering if President Trump weighed in, he definitely did. On September 19, he tweeted, “@MileyCyrus—don’t worry about Liam. You can do much better and you have plenty of time—remain strong!” So…there’s that.
October 2013
Cyrus began speaking out about the breakup. In an interview with Cosmo, she said that music is her “main love” at the moment. “This is the best time of my life,” she continued. “I’m going to look back on it and be like, ‘I wish I hadn’t been dwelling over a breakup,’ you know?”
In the same month, Cyrus made an appearance on Ellen. The last time she was on the show, the host threw her a Bachelorette party. But Cyrus insisted it’s not as awkward as one might assume. “I think people spend more time actually thinking about it than I really do,” Cyrus explained. “I just believe when a chapter is done, you have to close it and start that new one. That’s kind of where I am right now.”
November 2014
Over a year later, multiple sources confirmed to Us Weekly that Cyrus was dating “longtime friend” Patrick Schwarzenegger. By April 2015, People reported that the pair was finished.
July 2015
After Cyrus was linked to model Stella Maxwell, the star discussed her sexuality on the cover of ELLE U.K. “I’m very open about it—I’m pansexual,” she says, adding that she’s single at the moment. “I’m 22. I’m going on dates, but I change my style every two weeks, let alone who I’m with.”
October 2015
Hemsworth was asked about his breakup for the cover of Men’s Fitness. When asked to reflect on his public split with Cyrus, he had this to say:
“You fall in love with who you fall in love with; you can never choose. I guess some people just come with a little more baggage. [Laughs.] I mean, look—we were together five years, so I don’t think those feelings will ever change. And that’s good because that proves to me that it was real. It wasn’t just a fling. It really was an important part of my life and always will be. She’s a free spirit. I think she’ll always surprise people with what she does, but she’s not a malicious person in any way. She’s a young girl who wants to do what she wants to do.”
November 2015
Who could’ve predicted that a pet rescue center would provide the smoking gun on Hemsworth and Cyrus’ reunion? On November 14, Wylder’s Holistic Pet Center and Rescue, shared a photo of Hemsworth and his new dog, captioned, “Thanks @mileycyrus for loving dogs as much as we do!! You helped find this gigantic, 6 month old puppy a new home. @liamhemsworth you will give this deserving baby a great life!“
Hemsworth also shared a pic of him and his new furry friend. He wrote, “New “gigantic” rescue pup! Dora the Explorer. #rescuedog!”
December 2015
While the world awaited the verdict on if rescue meant reconciliation, a piece of Hemsworth’s dating history was revealed. On an episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Hemsworth’s Hunger Games co-star Jennifer Lawrence was asked if she and the actor had ever kissed offscreen. “Liam and I grew up together,” Lawrence coyly began, adding, “Liam’s real hot.” She asked Cohen, “What would you have done?” Cohen replied, “I would say yes.” “Yeah,” J.Law coyly said. “I mean, I pick Gale over Peeta any day,” Cohen said. “I did, at one point,” Lawrence laughed.
January 2016
On January 4, Cyrus and Chris Hemsworth’s wife, Elsa Pataky, were spotted at a New York boutique together, evidenced on Instagram.
Over the course of the month, Cyrus was spotted wearing her Neil Lane sparkler from Hemsworth, all but confirming that the pair is back on. People officially reported that the couple was back together on January 21. “Miley is beyond happy to be engaged to Liam again,” a Cyrus source told the mag. “It might seem sudden, but they have been very close for the past few months.”
The source also claimed that they were keeping their relationship “out of the spotlight while they figured things out,” and that, “They both seem much more mature.”
“Miley wants to get married,” the insider also told People. “His family was very hesitant about a marriage in the past, but they really got to know Miley better when she spent time in Australia a few weeks ago. Everyone seems excited that they are back together.”
April 2016
On April 29, Cyrus and Hemsworth were spotted together in Australia, for the first time since reuniting.
A day later, it’s reported that Cyrus and Pataky got matching wave tattoos.
May 2016
For the cover of GQ Australia, Hemsworth reminisced about his 2013 split with Cyrus. “Of course it was hard, man,” he said. “But at the time we were going in different directions and it’s just what needed to happen. We were both super young and it was a good decision at the time—we both needed that.” When asked to confirm the duo’s current status, Hemsworth replies, “People will figure it out, they already have… They’re not dumb.”
June/July 2016
Cyrus began to post small hints about her renewed relationship with Hemsworth. In June, she shared a mirror selfie of herself wearing a Hemsworth jersey.
The following month, the actress debuted a Vegemite tattoo, an Australian dish said to be in tribute to her fiancé.
September 2016
On September 8, Hemsworth sent fans into a frenzy when he posted a throwback photo from the set of The Last Song. He captioned an on-set photo of himself and Cyrus, “Throwing it WAY back… what a ‘blur.’ #TBT.”
Soon after, Hemsworth and Cyrus were spotted hand-in-hand in New York.
October 2016
Cyrus confirmed that she is re-engaged to Hemsworth while appearing on Ellen. She also divulged why she sometimes skips slipping her engagement ring on. Cyrus explained that since so much of her jewelry is “made out of gummy bears and cotton candy,” she sometimes replaced her ring “with an actual unicorn or a Looney Tune.” The singer added, “And (Hemsworth’s) kind of like what’s going on? ‘Well,’ I am like, ‘This isn’t really my aesthetic, but I’ll wear it because you love me.'”
November 2016
Hemsworth shared a photo of Cyrus holding a birthday present that’s decorated with the aesthetic she discussed on Ellen. He captioned it, “Happiest birthday to my favorite little angel!“
December 2016
Hemsworth shared two photos of himself and Cyrus around the holidays, giving the world a present it had long asked for.
February 2017
Hemsworth posted a sweet selfie with Cyrus and their dogs for Valentine’s Day.
May 2017
On May 11, Cyrus released her first publicly-declared love song about Hemsworth with “Malibu.” Ahead of the song’s debut, Cyrus told Billboard that setting the record straight about her relationship was important to her. “They’re going to talk about me if I come out of a restaurant with Liam,” Cyrus explained. “So why not put the power back in my relationship and say, ‘This is how I feel’?”
Cyrus also said that time apart was necessary for her and Hemsworth. “I needed to change so much,” she said. “And changing with someone else not changing like that is too hard. Suddenly you’re like, ‘I don’t recognize you anymore.’ We had to refall for each other.”
Cyrus even revealed that Hemsworth shot the cover art for the single, which she tearfully performed at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards.
July 2017
On July 10, Hemsworth posted a black-and-white selfie of himself and Cyrus, which he sweetly captioned, “My little angel and I.“
The actor also shared a photo of Cyrus surrounded by greenery with the caption, “Little girl. Big world. #takemeback”
September 2017
Hemsworth continued to post openly about his relationship with Cyrus, even shouting out her album Younger Now on its release day. “Check out this little hotties new album! She’s got a bright future ahead 😉 Get it while it’s hot! #youngernow,” Hemsworth captioned a photo of the record’s cover.
October 2017
Cyrus dove deeper into her relationship with Hemsworth during an interview with Howard Stern. “When we broke up, he wanted to get away from me,” Cyrus explained. Hemsworth bought a home in Malibu that, much to his surprise, was actually the spot where Cyrus recorded her first album. “The person hid all the plaques in the garage so he would still buy the house,” Cyrus recounted. “So then he went to move in and he was like, ‘Fuck! I cannot get away. This bitch is all over my fucking house!'”
The “Malibu” artist once again credited time apart for her reconciliation with Hemsworth. “I don’t like when relationships are two halves trying to make a whole,” Cyrus told Stern.”It’s that ‘I can’t eat, I can’t sleep.’ Well, that’s because you’re so used to depending on someone else. So I don’t think that I have that codependency.”
But just because the couple has matured, doesn’t mean Cyrus doesn’t get jealous of Hemsworth’s onscreen love interests. “I get that little butterfly in my stomach,” Cyrus admited. “I know me, and I know what our relationship is, so anyone’s gonna feel like … it’s fucking abnormal, I think, but my life is abnormal.” She added, “I keep my little spies. So I don’t always have to be there.”
Hemsworth and Cyrus capped off the month by attending their first red carpet together in several years, the premiere of brother Chris’s movie Thor: Ragnarok.
November 2017
During Season 43 of SNL, Cyrus served as the musical guest, with Larry David hosting. Hemsworth made an appearance in a sketch alongside his bride-to-be.
In late November, the actor shares a photo of Cyrus with Christmas lights in the background. “Christmas angel,” he writes beneath the photo.
March 2018
To view the Oscars, Hemsworth and Cyrus headed to Elton John’s AIDS Foundation party. Afterwards, they walked the red carpet of Vanity Fair‘s after party.
April 2018
Cyrus tweeted a hilarious video of her and Hemsworth singing in the car together. He abruptly hit the breaks, pranking his fiancée in the process.
May 2018
In May, Elton John tweeted a photo of himself with the couple at his final Las Vegas show.
July 2018
This month, Cyrus wiped all of her photos off of Instagram. While some speculated a split, others theorized that a new musical project could be coming from the singer. Days later, Hemsworth posted videos of the couple on his Instagram Stories, proving everything was good between them.
Hemsworth also moved to dispel any premature pregnancy rumors when he shared a photo from the set of Isn’t It Romantic. “I think it’s safe to say I’m bringing saxy back. 😉 Dad jokes. (Not actually a dad) @isntitromanticmovie,” the actor captioned his post.
August 2018
“Strolls with my girls,” Hemsworth captioned a photo of the couple and one of their many pets.
November 2018
On November 13, Hemsworth shared the devastation that was left on his Malibu home with Cyrus after the California wildfires. Amongst the ashes, Hemsworth’s photo showed that a sign spelled L-O-V-E was left behind. He captioned the photo:
“It’s been a heartbreaking few days. This is what’s left of my house. Love. Many people in Malibu and surrounding areas in California have lost their homes also and my heart goes out to everyone who was affected by these fires. I spent the day in Malibu yesterday and it was amazing to see the community pulling together to help each other out in any way they can. Malibu is a strong community and this event is only going to make it stronger. Thankful for the all the great local guys that helped keep smaller fires out around my property. I love u guys. I love you Malibu. Thank you to all the hero firefighters around California. It’s going to be a journey to rebuild. Stay strong all. To help/donate visit @malibufoundation and @happyhippiefdn.”
A source told People, “Miley and Liam lost their home but are very grateful to be safe along with their animals!”
Ten days later, Hemsworth wished Cyrus happy birthday on Instagram, proving that the hardship only strengthened their relationship. “Happy birthday to my sweet girl. You’re more precious than ever. So thankful to have you in my life. ❤️,” he captioned a photo of her surrounded by balloons.
December 2018
On SiruisXM’s Howard Stern Show, Cyrus opens up about her gratitude for Hemsworth in the aftermath of the wildfires. “Liam, I’ve never loved him more for this,” Cyrus told Stern. “I call him my survival partner now. He thinks it’s not romantic, but I learned that it is. It is why you pair up with someone, for survival. He was so incredible—he got all the animals out in his truck. He put two pigs in crates, which I tell you is so hard.” After outlining all of her partner’s animal-saving maneuvers, she revealed that Hemsworth “knew I was very, very grateful. He got a lot of action for saving the animals.”
Cyrus continued to hype her man when she commented on a meme proclaiming no man has everything, such as “good dick game, empathy, a height above 5’9, no hoes, and common sense.” She wrote, “Mine does! Don’t give up!”
On December 16, Cyrus took to Instagram to show her love, posting two photos of herself and Hemsworth in the days leading up to her single with Mark Ronson, “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” (presumably the reason for her IG deletion in July).
On December 23, breadcrumbs on social media suggested Cyrus and Hemsworth could be getting married in their Franklin, Tennessee home. Both were clad in bride and groom attire, while a wedding cake and pictures from both sides of the family emerged on Instagram.
Three days later, Cyrus confirmed that her and Hemsworth were married, posting two black-and-white photos from the day. One is captioned, “12.23.18” and the other, “10 years later …..” Hemsworth captioned his own version of the two embracing, “My love ❤️.”
A source told People, “They always wanted a small, private celebration with family and close friends and that’s what they got. Miley seems ecstatic.” The source added, “She loves her Tennessee home and was very happy about having the ceremony there. In the past, any time Miley would talk about getting married to Liam, she would always have a huge smile. She has been wanting to get married to Liam for years. Everyone is very excited for them. Miley’s family always loved Liam.”
Another source told People that the couple was originally meant to wed in their Malibu home. “They were both devastated after the fire,” the Cyrus source said. But a second source claimed, “The way Liam took charge and helped her deal with that tragedy just adds another layer of love and security.”
January 2019
Cyrus rang in Hemsworth’s birthday with two posts on Instagram. The first is a hilarious video of her new husband singing. “HBD @liamhemsworth❤️,” she captioned the post.
“HBD 2 Da Hubz” she captioned a lengthy birthday note to Hemsworth. In the post, she listed several things she loves about her partner, including:
‘The way you look at me, the way you look at our dogs… our pigs, our horses, our cats, our fish.’
‘The way you go outside when I ask, “What’s the weather like?” instead of checking your phone…’
‘I love the way we speak in our own language. Sometimes with just a look.’
‘I love how you’ll sit and listen to me pluck out a new tune on the guitar for hours.’
‘I love how you let me be me.’
The following day, Cyrus captioned the ultimate throwback photo of her and Hemsworth, writing, “10 year challenge.”
For their first public event since tying the knot, the newly-married couple attended the 16th Annual G’Day USA Gala. Hemsworth was honored for his acting, calling Cyrus a “sweet, sweet angel” during his speech. Cyrus posted an excerpt from the speech to Twitter:
She also shared a photo from the evening to Instagram, captioned, “Date night ❤️ OUT and ready to party with the MR.” In a red carpet interview from the event with Entertainment Tonight, Hemsworth said about married life, “It’s the best. It’s the best. I feel so lucky to be with someone like her. It’s great. Very lucky.”
February 2019
February was full of events for the newlyweds. On February 11, Hemsworth shared on Instagram that due to recent hospitalization (kidney stones), Cyrus would attend the Isn’t It Romantic premiere in his place. Cyrus posted several photos from the event, one jokingly captioned, “Getting sick blows. But so do I. Get well soon babe. I love you. Play that sax you sexy fuck. ❤️💋❤️💋❤️💋❤️💋❤️💋❤️”
For Valentine’s Day, Cyrus jokingly posted a Bangerz-era meme with her legs open on Twitter.
The Black Mirror actor also posted a few never-before-seen photos from her December nuptials for the holiday. “My Valentine every single day ❤️ @liamhemsworth,” she captioned one post. “Thank you for always bending down to hug me … I promise I will always meet you in the middle on my tippiest toes! I love you Valentine! @liamhemsworth,” she wrote beneath another.
The following day, Hemsworth shared a video of himself pranking Cyrus captioned, “Came across this little gem. 😂 I’ll never stop 😉 ❤️❤️”
In an interview for Vanity Fair, Cyrus said she feels “zero percent different” being married to Hemsworth.”We’ve worn rings forever, and I definitely didn’t need it in any way,” Cyrus told the outlet of officially being married. “It actually is kind of out of character for me.” She went on to say that she and Hemsworth are recalibrating what being married means. “The reason that people get married sometimes can be old-fashioned, but I think the reason we got married isn’t old-fashioned—I actually think it’s kind of New Age,” she explained. “We’re redefining, to be fucking frank, what it looks like for someone that’s a queer person like myself to be in a hetero relationship.”
Later that month, the couple attended both a Chanel dinner and the Vanity Fair Oscars party, moments Cyrus shared on social media.
April 2019
Cyrus and Hemsworth attended the premiere of Avengers: Endgame and married life seems to suit them. On her Instagram Stories, Cyrus wrote, “I’m literally freakishly obsessed with my husband right now….like always has been always will be, but RN it’s EXTRA compulsive.” She also captioned a red carpet video of her pretending to lick Hemsworth, “When he looks good enough to eat ! #Snack #SugarDaddy @liamhemsworth @avengers“
Hemsworth posted a photo from the evening, writing, “Me and my hot date last night @avengers endgame. An absolute blast of a time! 🚀🚀”
May 2019
For the cover of GQ Australia, Hemsworth opened up about what led to the couple’s intimate wedding:
“I was 18 when I met Miley. We really fell in love quickly and had a really strong connection from the beginning and I think in the back of my head I knew it was on the cards, but we weren’t planning to have a wedding anytime soon. Then just going through something this emotional with someone, it brings you closer and we felt like we’d lost a big part of our lives, so we wanted to make a new part of our lives. It was something really good coming out of a horrible situation. It was going to happen eventually, but I think this just sped it up a little bit.”
This month, the couple also walked the Met Gala red carpet.
On May 31, Cyrus released her new EP She Is Coming, which included the track “The Most.” Many think the song was inspired by her relationship with her spouse with lyrics such as, “Even in my darkest days/Even in my lowest place/You love me the most.”
Cyrus also shared video of Hemsworth singing “Party in the USA” to her Instagram Stories, while both walked to one of her gigs.
June 2019
While accompanying Cyrus to several concerts, Hemsworth posted two photos of his wife. One is a black-and-white close-up, captioned, “Girls got talent. She might just make it…WOW to the awesome dude (me) for taking such an incredible photo. #husbandgoals;)“
The pair publicly appeared together at Saint Laurent’s men’s spring/summer show for what would be the last time.
On June 11, Cyrus denied rumors of a breakup on Twitter, instead taking a moment to celebrate her 10 year anniversary with Hemsworth. Along with a tabloid screenshot, she wrote, “Happy 10 year anniversary my love Good to see everyone is as dumb as they were in 2009! Some things never change …. & I hope the way you feel about me is one of them . You’re truly.”
July 2019
For the cover of ELLE, Cyrus gave some insight into what marriage means to her:
“I think it’s very confusing to people that I’m married. But my relationship is unique. And I don’t know that I would ever publicly allow people in there because it’s so complex, and modern, and new that I don’t think we’re in a place where people would get it. I mean, do people really think that I’m at home in a fucking apron cooking dinner? I’m in a hetero relationship, but I still am very sexually attracted to women. People become vegetarian for health reasons, but bacon is still fucking good, and I know that. I made a partner decision. This is the person I feel has my back the most. I definitely don’t fit into a stereotypical wife role. I don’t even like that word.”
August 2019
On August 10, Cyrus appeared on Instagram for the first time in a while, sans engagement or wedding rings.
That same day, Cyrus’s rep confirmed the couple was breaking up in a statement to People:
“Liam and Miley have agreed to separate at this time. Ever-evolving, changing as partners and individuals, they have decided this is what’s best while they both focus on themselves and careers. They still remain dedicated parents to all of their animals they share while lovingly taking this time apart. Please respect their process and privacy.”
After The Hills: New Beginnings star Kaitlynn Carter posted a selfie of herself and Cyrus on Instagram August 9, reports emerged that the two were an item. (Carter split from husband Brody Jenner after a year of marriage on August 2.) Entertainment Tonight published photos of the pair kissing on a yacht during their Italy vacay.
On August 11, Cyrus broke her silence on the split with two Instagram posts. She captioned a photo of her in front of mountains:
“Don’t fight evolution, because you will never win. Like the mountain I am standing on top of , which was once under water , connected with Africa , change is inevitable. The Dolomites were not created over night, it was over millions of years that this magnificent beauty was formed. My dad always told me “ Nature never hurries but it is always on time”…. it fills my heart with peace and hope KNOWING that is true. I was taught to respect the planet and its process and I am committed to doing the same with my own …. 💙”
“New day. New adventure. 💚” was the caption of her second post.
A source told E! News that the couple was “drifting apart.” The insider added,”They have been trying to make it work for months now but haven’t felt they were connecting on the level they were feeling when they got married last year. It’s been a rough year.”
As for Hemsworth’s thoughts, a source told Entertainment Tonight, “Liam loves Miley and is hurt, but he knows that she does this. Miley and Liam very recently separated. Miley’s behavior is no shock to Liam. He is hurt but not surprised. The last several months they’ve been talking about taking a break.” The insider went on to hint at possible reconciliation. “Miley and Liam love each other and always will,” the source said. “Most of their friends feel they’ll be back together. No one thinks Miley and Kaitlynn are in a real relationship, they believe it’s more fun on vacation.”
Seemingly every day brought a new report regarding the couple’s breakup. People and E! News insiders said that Hemsworth and Cyrus were in no rush to get divorced. A friend of the couple even claimed to People that Hemsworth’s partying led to the breakup. “Everyone always thinks Miley is problematic and immature and a hardcore partier while he’s this chill surfer dude, but that’s actually [not accurate],” the source explained. “Liam parties with his friends, and Miley thinks he should’ve grown out of that by now.”
On August 13, Hemsworth broke his silence on the split with an Instagram post:
“Hi all
Just a quick note to say that Miley and I have recently separated and I wish her nothing but health and happiness going forward.
This is a private matter and I have not made, nor will I be making, any comments to any journalists or media outlets. Any reported quotes attributed to me are false.
Peace and Love.”
On August 16, Cyrus released the song “Slide Away,” which seemingly addressed her breakup directly. Lyrics such as, “Move on, we’re not seventeen/I’m not who I used to be/You say that everything’s changed/You’re right, we’re grown now,” indicated that the couple grew apart.
After the song’s release, Page Six reported Cyrus was recently spotted making out with Carter in a West Hollywood club. Photos obtained by Entertainment Tonight showed Liam on an Australian beach with his brother, Chris.
On August 21, TMZ reported that Hemsworth had officially filed for divorce from Cyrus in Los Angeles, citing “irreconcilable differences.” A source told the outlet that the couple had a prenup. The following day, Cyrus took to Twitter to share her unfiltered thoughts on the split and rumors about infidelity on her part with Carter:
“The truth is, once Liam & I reconciled, I meant it, & I was committed. There are NO secrets to uncover here. I’ve learned from every experience in my life. I’m not perfect, I don’t want to be, it’s boring. I’ve grown up in front of you, but the bottom line is, I HAVE GROWN UP. I can admit to a lot of things but I refuse to admit that my marriage ended because of cheating. Liam and I have been together for a decade. I’ve said it before & it remains true, I love Liam and always will. BUT at this point I had to make a healthy decision for myself to leave a previous life behind. I am the healthiest and happiest I have been in a long time. You can say I am a twerking, pot smoking, foul mouthed hillbilly but I am not a liar. I am proud to say, I am simply in a different place from where I was when I was a younger.”
As for Hemsworth’s state of mind, sources told multiple outlets that kissing photos between Cyrus and Carter seemed to spell the end for Hemsworth’s commitment. Us Weekly reported that Hemsworth had even planned to reconcile with Cyrus prior to her public outing with Carter. But the photos—and his family’s reaction to them—gave him no choice. “He thought they could work it out, but all those pictures of her and Kaitlynn ended that,” the source revealed. “Liam comes from a very conservative family and his family was freaked out by it.”
People published photos of Carter and Cyrus heading to a MTV VMAs after party after Cyrus’s emotional performance of “Slide Away.” In the pictures, Cyrus could be seen sporting a new tattoo that reads, “My head was feeling scared, but my heart was feeling free.” The ink is lyrics from the Pixies’ song “The Thing” and was completed by celebrity tattoo artist Winter Stone, per People.
According to The Blast, the couple was hopeful their divorce settlement would be finalized by Halloween. Sources told the outlet that post-split legal discussions had been “amicable.” It was also reported that Hemsworth was planning to leave all of the couple’s pets together—seven dogs, two horses, two mini horses, three cats, and a pig—to Cyrus. TMZ reported that Hemsworth wouldn’t contest ownership, although he legally could do so in California.
September 2019
Multiple Page Six sources claimed that Hemsworth was “blindsided” by Cyrus’s rep confirming their divorce last month. Per the insider, the couple had been separated for months but had no concrete plans about when to make that knowledge public. The exes had reportedly not talked since their split, but some fans speculated Cyrus was sending Hemsworth a message in her new song, “Don’t Call Me Angel.” In the Ariana Grande-Lana Del Rey collaboration, for the Charlie’s Angels remake, Cyrus sings “Don’t call me angel when I’m a mess / Don’t call me angel when I get undressed / You know I, I don’t like that, boy / Uh, I make my money, and I write the checks / So say my name with a little respect.” At times throughout their relationship, Hemsworth would call Cyrus “angel” on social media.
On September 21, after about a month together romantically, People reported that Cyrus and Carter had split, but were “still friends.” Carter later reflected on the romance in a November 2019 essay for ELLE, writing, “While it was short-lived, I’ll remain eternally grateful to my most recent relationship for opening my eyes to this unexplored part of myself, and for inspiring a new level of self-discovery and wonder at all the possibilities of life. I’ve been forced to get to know myself in a far deeper way than ever before, and not just in terms of my sexual preferences. I’ve also been forced to reckon with who I am as a person.”
October 2019
Within the first two weeks of October, both Hemsworth and Cyrus have moved on to new relationships. She’s spotted getting cozy with longtime friend and fellow Aussie Cody Simpson. While Hemsworth is photographed in NYC kissing Dynasty actress Maddison Brown.
Us Weekly reported that Hemsworth “wants what’s best” for Cyrus following their split “even if it’s not him.” As for Cyrus’s new romance with Simpson, a source told E!, “Miley is being Miley. She is having fun and that’s all. She is not looking for anything serious. She has known Cody for a long time and is very comfortable with him. There’s no strings attached and she is just going to see where each day takes her.” The insider added, “She doesn’t take anything too seriously or think too much about what she’s doing. She was in a relationship with Liam for a very long time and now is her time to do what she wants to do. She doesn’t have to answer to anyone and is happy about that.”
Simpson caused controversy when he compared his new relationship with Cyrus to her previous dynamics on the Kyle & Jackie O Show. “I’m very, very, very romantic,” Simpson said. “I don’t think she…she’d talked about how she hadn’t had that kind of an experience in a relationship before.” As for a rebuttal from Hemsworth, he’s not going to give one, per an E! source. Hemsworth “doesn’t have a reaction or plan on engaging with Miley [at this time],” a source told the outlet. “[He] has moved on.”
November 2019
November 4 marked a different kind of milestone for Hemsworth and Cyrus. Fans noticed that he unfollowed Cyrus on Instagram after she shared photos of herself and Simpson dancing in the Nashville home where they got married. Cyrus unfollowed both Hemsworth and Carter shortly after.
While the exes stayed mum about their relationship this month, Hemsworth’s sister-in-law Elsa Pataky threw some perceived shade at Cyrus. In an interview with Hola!, Pataky, who’s married to Liam’s older brother Chris, said, “My brother-in-law, well… After a relationship that you’ve dedicated ten years to, he’s a little bit down, but he’s coping well, he’s a strong boy and he deserves the best, I think he deserves much better.” She added, “You always find support in your family, and he’s joined at the hip with his brother, who has been there to give all the strength he needed.”
December 2019
When Cyrus debuted a new “Freedom” tattoo on her hand, some interpreted that as a reference to her split with Hemsworth. Tattoo artist Winter Stone (who was also responsible for Cyrus’s other post-breakup tattoo) shared photos of the ink on Instagram.
On Christmas Day, TMZ and Entertainment Tonight reported that Cyrus and Hemsworth had settled their divorce, although pending paperwork meant they weren’t legally single yet. A source told ET, “The couple had a prenup so dividing property wasn’t an issue; Miley will keep the animals in the divorce.”
January 2020
The start of a new year coincided with a new relationship for Hemsworth, with model Gabriella Brooks. After first being linked in December, a source told People that the pair was “getting serious.“
TMZ reported later that month that Cyrus and Hemsworth’s divorce was finalized and each of them legally single after their one-year marriage. And although the exes were reportedly in attendance at the same pre-Oscars party the following month, they didn’t run into each other.
April 2020
Nearly eight months after their split, Entertainment Tonight got an update on how both Cyrus and Hemsworth are feeling about their breakup. Cyrus “just wants Liam to be happy,” the source explained, adding, “She knows how important love and marriage are for him, but she just needed her independence. Miley and Liam have moved on and it seems they’re both where they most want to be in life.”
As for Hemsworth, the insider said he’s focusing his energy on his new girlfriend. “While Liam’s family has been a huge support since the breakup with Miley, it was Gabriella who made him realize there is life after Miley,” the source explained. “Gabriella is quiet, low key. She loves to be alone with Liam and isn’t seeking attention from others.” The source continued, “Liam loved Miley so much but in the back of his mind, he always knew a life with her would prove difficult because she never seemed ready to settle down,” the source said. “Liam wanted a marriage and family.”
Hemsworth’s older brother Chris also seemed to reference Liam’s new chapter during an interview with News.com.au. When asked about Liam’s Men’s Health cover, Chris remarked, “I think he’s done it,” Chris said. “Did you see the Men’s Health cover? I thought, ‘Not bad kid. Not bad’. He’s out there training and staying fit, and back in Australia doing his thing. It’s Australian living, I guess. We got him out of Malibu!” Chris added with a laugh. (Cyrus wrote a 2017 song called “Malibu” about rekindling things with her ex.)
August 2020
Nearly a year after Cyrus and Hemsworth’s headline-making separation, a source told
Entertainment Tonight about where the exes stand with one another. “Miley and Liam spoke very little after their separation, and any communication was more about making decisions regarding plans and property,” the source said. “They haven’t been in touch in months, and it has been for the best because they have both needed this time to heal and move on.” The insider added, “Her divorce from Liam and her new relationship with Cody was a whirlwind of change for her, but in true Miley fashion she has come out on top.”
Hemsworth has been quietly seeing Brooks since late 2019 with the Daily Mail reporting they may have adopted a dog together. Cyrus and Simpson were going 10 months strong on their relationship, even collaborating on a music video together in quarantine. But on August 13, almost a year to the day since Hemsworth confirmed he and Cyrus’s split, it was reported that Cyrus and Simpson had broken up.
On the heels of Cyrus’s latest breakup, she released a new song that reflects on her divorce with Hemsworth. “Midnight Sky” includes lyrics that seem to reference Cyrus’s feelings of being trapped in their relationship. “Lotta years went by with my hands tied up in your ropes (Your ropes) / Forever and ever, no more (No more)” and “I was born to run, I don’t belong to anyone, oh no / I don’t need to be loved by you (By you)” are a few telling excerpts.
Cyrus spoke with SiriusXM and Apple Music about the song’s meaning. “Actually in ‘Midnight Sky,’ one of the lyrics that I’d ask everyone to kind of consider and kind of think about for themselves is the idea of ‘forever and ever, no more,'” Cyrus told SiriusXM. “You know, you asked me to kind of explain briefly what my song is about. And I think it’s my relationship with the stigma. That ‘forever,’ if it’s not successful or if you claimed something to be forever and you fail, then you’re a failure. And I just don’t think that. I think we’re kind of set up for devastation—in that, from the time we’re little kids, we’re taught to claim other humans as our best friends forever. And you just don’t know who you’re going to be sitting with here right now. You never know who you’re going to evolve to be and who they’re going to evolve to be. So I think that we, especially as women in relationships, a lot of the time we can get villainized when ‘forever’ doesn’t happen. And I think that you’re just really setting yourself up to kind of be disappointed—and not from a bitter or resentful way, but from a realistic and logical standpoint, especially in modern society. We’re changing and evolving and understanding ourselves from such a different perspective that it just feels like forever is definitely a big word.”
Cyrus explained to Apple Music that the song represents her freedom both in life and music after her public split. “I definitely feel the growing pains,” she said. “I’ve been feeling even physically kind of constricted in my being. I think all of us are just feeling like we’re expanding. We are declaring what we find acceptable and not, where our morals and our values lie. That was really important for me with this record, because talking about ‘Midnight Sky,’ specifically, I felt like my story and my narrative had kind of been told for me over the past year. Obviously, I went through an extremely public breakup and, even more than that, a divorce, and with someone that I had been with for ten years. That narrative and that experience of ten years was told for me by one day from the eyes of a helicopter,” referencing photos snapped of her and Kaitlynn Carter kissing on vacation right when her divorce became public.
“I felt kind of villainized,” she continued. “I also felt like I kind of shut down, because it was kind of, respectfully, below me to engage with the press and the media at that time. It felt like I would rather be able to articulate this experience in a poetic way that also I can put back into my art. I never really have engaged. I’ve only played with the public and the perception in that way.”
Beyond her revealing new single, Cyrus also got candid about her romantic and sexual history on Alexandra Cooper’s Call Me Daddy podcast. She spoke about her first sexual experience being with two women, her tendency to be “more experimental” in who she dates, and her first time having sex with a man. Cyrus disclosed she lost her virginity to Hemsworth at 16, although she didn’t tell him at the time. “Well, I didn’t go all the way with a dude [until] I was 16—it wasn’t Nick Jonas—but I ended up marrying the guy. So that’s pretty crazy,” Cyrus said, revealing it was Hemsworth. “Yeah, which I lied and said he wasn’t the first so I didn’t seem like a loser. It’s such more of a full circle story, it’s so f*cking weird because I couldn’t think of anyone who was like, ‘oh, who have you had sex with?’ and I couldn’t think of anyone so I just made somebody up who I knew, but we had never actually had sex before and then his friend ended up marrying him and then it was like, ‘oh, my friend is marrying someone you’ve hooked up with,’ and then when I was like, 24, I had to say that I lied when I was 16. It was a lie that I held onto for like, 10 years.”
She also said that her romantic type following the divorce is someone confident, calming, and comfortable with her own independence. “Oh my god, I actually do kind of need [a calm person],” she said. “I usually end up complaining that they’re boring, but that’s what I need. I need boring. Confident, yes. No, I definitely need like a calming, I need an anchor, I need a weight. But when I was thinking about this yesterday and knowing we were going to have this conversation, I was thinking about someone has to bring more to the table than their plate. They can’t just be like, fill me up all the f*cking time. And I think that’s kind of—that’s a big part of my life, is filling people back up, and that can make me go below zero, below E [empty] so it’s really important that I feel fulfilled and yeah, they have to bring something to the table.”
November 2020
On November 27, Cyrus released her seventh studio album, Plastic Hearts. The first track, “WTF Do I Know” is, fans are pretty certain, about Liam Hemsworth. “I’m not tryna have another conversation /Probably not gon’ wanna play me on your station / Pourin’ out a bottle full of my frustration,” she sings. She continues, later: “You want an apology? Not from me / I had to leave you in your own misery / So tell me, baby, am I wrong that I moved on? / And I, and I don’t even miss you / Thought that it’d be you until I die / But I let go, what the fuck do I know?”
This songs seems to reference some of the reports that have come out since the two divorced. In a series of tweets last December, Cyrus addressed her feelings about the split: “Liam and I have been together for a decade. I’ve said it before & it remains true, I love Liam and always will. BUT at this point I had to make a healthy decision for myself to leave a previous life behind. I am the healthiest and happiest I have been in a long time. You can say I am a twerking, pot smoking, foul-mouthed hillbilly but I am not a liar. I am proud to say, I am simply in a different place from where I was when I was a younger.”
December 2020
Cyrus spoke to Howard Stern about the end of her and Hemsworth’s relationship very candidly.
“We were together since 16,” she began. “Our house burned down. We had been like, engaged—I don’t know if we really ever thought we were actually going to get married, but when we lost our house in Malibu—which if you listen to my voice pre- and post-fire, they’re very different so that trauma really affected my voice. And I was actually in South Africa, so I couldn’t come home, and like, my animals were tied to a post at the beach. I lost everything. I had polaroids of Elvis, like front row, passed on from—I got a couple grandmas to give me their Elvis polaroids. I always became friends with my friends’ grandmas so I could get the goods from the artists I love.
“I had so much and it was all gone, every song I had ever written was in that house. Every photograph of me that my parents had given to me, all my scripts, I lost everything. And so in trying to put that back together, instead of going, ‘Oh, nature kind of did something I couldn’t do for myself; it forced me to let go,’ I ran toward the fire. Which is not abnormal, a lot of animals do this and end up dying, like deers run into the forest. You’re attracted to that heat and me being an intense person and not wanting to sit with it, and not wanting to go, you know, ‘What could be purposeful about this?’ I just clung to what I had left of that house, which was me and him. And I really do and did love him very, very, very much and still do, always will.”
January 2023
Years passed, with Cyrus and Hemsworth moving on with their lives separately. Then on January 13, 2023—Hemsworth’s 33rd birthday—Cyrus released new work that brought their relationship back into the conversation.
Cyrus’ single “Flowers,” took off and sparked fan theories it’s about their divorce.
The full song includes Cyrus seemingly referencing the Woolsey fire (“We were right ’til we weren’t / Built a home and watched it burn”) and their arguing that led her to realize this relationship wouldn’t work (“I didn’t wanna leave you, baby / I didn’t wanna fight”). She also addressed how her feeling like she couldn’t fully be herself contributed to their split (“I didn’t wanna leave you / I didn’t wanna lie”).
Cyrus herself never commented on theories the song was about him.
September 2023
Cyrus released track “Used to Be Young,” in late August 2023, and began a TikTok series where she reflected on moments throughout her life.
Cyrus shared the first video that addressed her and Hemworth’s history on September 1. She spoke about first meeting him on the set of The Last Song.
“In 2008, I needed to do another feature film for Disney, and I didn’t want it to be a part of Hannah Montana,” she said. “Once we had written the screenplay, it was time to audition all the guys who would play Will, my boyfriend in the movie. We had gotten it down from thousands to the final three, and Liam was a part of that final three.”
“I think one of the elements that made that movie feel so special was it was watching two very young people fall in love with each other, which was happening in real time and in real life, so the chemistry was undeniable,” she said. “And that was the beginning of a long 10-year relationship.”
Editorial Fellow
Savannah Walsh is an Editorial Fellow at ELLE.com.
Senior News and Strategy Editor
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.
Hilary Weaver is a freelance writer based in New York who writes about politics, queer issues, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, and every woman the Queen has ever made a dame. I saw Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again three times in theaters, and that’s pretty much all you need to know.