The Reason Billy Ray Cyrus Was Absent from the ‘Hannah Montana’ 20th Anniversary Premiere
By Website Content Manager
He was well-known for his role on the show as Robby Ray Stewart, Miley Cyrus’ father.
On Monday evening in Los Angeles, Miley Cyrus reunited with friends, family, fans, and former co-stars from her early 2000s Disney Channel series Hannah Montana to celebrate the premiere of the show’s 20th Anniversary special. However, one notable absence on the red carpet was her father, Billy Ray Cyrus.
A recent social media post from the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer suggested he skipped the premiere to spend time in a Nashville studio working on his upcoming album. His new music era features collaboration with his children, Braison and Noah, including their father-daughter duet, “On Our Way Along,” set to release on April 3.
Billy Ray shared on social media: “Been in the studio all night in Nashville working on my new record with my youngins Braison and Noah preparing for our @todayshow performance on Good Friday! Dang feels like this is my ‘Sweet Niblets’ Sweet 16 on the road to the Final Four!”
The heartfelt track is reportedly produced by Braison Cyrus and Ryan Rasmussen, with Noah contributing vocals.
His absence was particularly noticeable after fans spotted him in the trailer for the special, which premiered March 24 on Disney+. As Robby Ray Stewart, Miley’s father on the show, Billy Ray played a key role in the series. While he didn’t attend the premiere, he shared a touching message to his daughter, writing, “Robby Ray’s still the proudest dad in the world.”
Hannah Montana, which aired from 2006 to 2011, followed teenager Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) as she navigated a double life as pop star Hannah Montana while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy. Two decades later, Miley returned to a recreated Hannah Montana set to film the special, joined by guests including Alex Cooper, Selena Gomez, and Chappell Roan.
Billy Ray wasn’t the only family member absent. Miley walked the red carpet with her mother, Tish Cyrus, and older sister, Brandi, alongside their partners Maxx Morando, Dominic Purcell, and Matt Southcombe. Other siblings, including Noah, Trace, Christopher, and Braison, were also not in attendance.
Been in the studio all night in Nashville working on my new record with my youngins Braison and Noah preparing for our Today Show performance on Good Friday! Dang feels like this is my “Sweet Niblets“ Sweet 16 on the road to the Final Four!
— Billy Ray Cyrus (@billyraycyrus) March 24, 2026
On Our Way Along | April 3… pic.twitter.com/VIYS4roQ3c