Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley brought undeniable star power and plenty of romance to the red carpet at the 2025 CMA Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday night.
Hand in hand and all smiles, the romantic pair appeared completely loved-up, posing for photographers inside of the Bridgestone Arena, marking one of their most glamorous public outings since confirming their relationship earlier this year. Matching each other’s energy, Cyrus and Hurley were well coordinated. She wore an elegant red dress, while he donned an all black ensemble.
The pair is part of an impressive slate of presenters for the highly anticipated star-studded affair. They’re joined by an array of stars also on hand to present awards for “Country Music’s Biggest Night.” Among some of the others taking the podium to hand out trophies are Steve Martin, Lauren Daigle, NE-YO, Billy Bob Thornton, Gretchen Wilson, and more.
“Counting down to the CMAs with Elizabeth,” Cyrus wrote ahead of the couple’s red-carpet appearance, sharing about their upcoming presenter duties at the CMAs. “She’s ‘Like Nothing Else… an original.’ We bonded over our love of all things country, especially country music!! She turned me onto the hit show Nashville, and we watched it all summer. Heading downtown to the sights and sounds of the heart of Music City feels like our first date.”
The “Achy Breaky Heart” star and the British actress first crossed paths in 2022 while filming the holiday movie Christmas in Paradise. Although they felt an immediate spark during production, their lives took them in separate directions, and they lost touch for almost two years. But fate—and a thoughtful message from Hurley—brought them back together. Hurley reached out during a difficult time in Cyrus’ life, a moment of reconnection that eventually led their friendship to blossom into romance.
“The couple times we were in the same scene, there was a chemistry there,” Cyrus recently shared on The Ty Bentli Show.
The country star recalled that they met shortly after his divorce from Tish Cyrus, a period he described as emotionally heavy. “We just laughed — and it was at a time I wasn’t laughing a lot.”
Cyrus, who is a father to six children—Brandi, Trace, Miley, Braison, and Noah with ex-wife Tish Cyrus, and Christopher Cody from a previous relationship, has been increasingly open about the joy Hurley — who is a mother to one son named Damian — has brought into his life. In April, the couple posted a sweet Easter photo on Instagram, with Cyrus kissing Hurley on the cheek, officially signaling their romance to fans. Since then, they haven’t shied away from sharing glimpses of their relationship online.
While Cyrus isn’t nominated this year for a CMA award, nor is he scheduled to perform, the show is packed with powerhouse performances. Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Chris Stapleton, Kenny Chesney, Patty Loveless, Riley Green, Kelsea Ballerini, Brandi Carlile, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Old Dominion, Red Clay Strays, Zach Top, Tucker Wetmore, and Stephen Wilson Jr. will all take the stage. The night will also feature dynamic collaborations, including BigXThePlug with Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert with Chris Stapleton, and Shaboozey with Wilson Jr.
Fans can catch all the action of the 59th annual CMA Awards, hosted by Lainey Wilson, airing live tonight from Nashville at 8–11 PM ET on ABC, with next-day streaming on Hulu.
