Elizabeth Hurley has an extremely close bond with her son Damian, who is known for taking her racy bikini snaps and directing her lesbian sex scene in his debut film.
But after the actress, 59, revealed her new romance with controversial rocker Billy Ray Cyrus, 63, friends of Damian have shared how her son really feels about their relationship.
Damian, 23, and Billy met for the first time when the country music legend was cast as Elizabeth’s love interest in the 2022 film Paradise in Christmas.
Friends close to the mother and son have revealed that the youngster was instantly impressed with Billy and spotted their chemistry.
They told The Sun: ‘Damian has met Billy and is a really big fan of his. They hit it off when they hung out on set.
‘All he wants is for his mum to be happy and he saw their spark straight away and is delighted they are now giving it a go.’
Elizabeth Hurley has an extremely close bond with her son Damian, who is known for taking her racy bikini snaps and directing her lesbian sex scene in her latest film
But after the actress, 59, revealed her new romance with controversial rocker Billy Ray Cyrus , 63, friends of Damian have shared how her son really feels about their relationship
Despite Damian’s pals saying he is happy for his mum, they also added that they are worried their close bond might be a problem, due to Billy being estranged from his own children, including pop superstar Miley Cyrus.
The friend added: ‘Damian has always been and will continue to be Liz’s number one. She has raised him alone for 23 years and his blessing is the most important thing to her.
‘In the past Liz’s relationship with Damian has taken its toll on some men. Billy is deep down a family man but is currently struggling with a number of issues.
‘Everyone is a bit worried that his own troubled relationship with his kids could impact Liz and Damian. The biggest fear is that Billy will want Damian to take more of a back seat.’
Damian’s biological father was American businessman Steve Bing, who died by suicide in 2020.
Though Elizabeth and Billy’s recent romance reveal shocked many fans a source told Us Weekly on Monday: ‘They have been friends for years but it turned romantic recently,’ confirming the pair are ‘dating’ and that it’s ‘going well.’
The insider said the pair ‘bonded over life experiences’ as they’ve ‘both been through a lot in life’ adding that the relationship is ‘very recent.’
‘They really understand each other and Liz is a very compassionate person, which Billy Ray adores.’
Damian, 23, and Billy met for the first time when the country music legend was cast as Elizabeth’s love interest in the 2022 film Paradise in Christmas; pictured
Friends close to the mother and son have revealed that the youngster was instantly impressed with Billy and spotted their chemistry
They said: ‘Damian has met Billy and is a really big fan of his. They hit it off when they hung out on set. All he wants is for his mum to be happy and he saw their spark straight away’
The actress and model has been spending time with Billy at his Nashville farm, as they both enjoy ‘the low-key, nature-loving lifestyle.’
The pair have ‘just been enjoying life together and wanted to make it public. They have nothing to hide and are very happy.’
They reportedly kept in touch after working together on the 2022 comedy Christmas in Paradise.
Elizabeth later confessed that ‘the opportunity to work with Billy Ray’ was one of the main reasons she shot the Lionsgate sequel to the 2021 flick Father Christmas is Back opposite onscreen dad Kelsey Grammer (who’s only 11 years older than her).
‘I’ve long been a fan of [Cyrus],’ Hurley gushed to MovieWeb in 2022.
‘My son [Damian] was the age where he used to watch Hannah Montana all the time, so of course, I used to watch it with him. I knew Billy Ray really well from that, and of course, some of his music. That was a big plus.’
Indeed, the two-time Grammy winner portrayed widowed single father Robby Ray Stewart in the Disney Channel series from 2006-2011 opposite his real-life estranged daughter Miley Cyrus.
In the picture she posted on Easter, Elizabeth couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she leant in for a kiss with Billy, who gave her a peck on the cheek.
The couple even appeared to have coordinated their outfits as Elizabeth looked stylish in a plaid shirt, cowboy hat, and faded jeans as she leaned against a rustic fence while Billy Ray, dressed in full Western gear and a pair of floppy bunny ears.
Despite Damian’s pals saying he is happy for his mum, they also added that they are worried their close bond might be a problem, due to Billy being estranged from his own children, including pop superstar Miley Cyrus; pictured Miley and Billy 2017
Billy Ray shares Brandi, 37, Trace, Miley, 32, Braison, 30, and Noah, 25, with ex-wife, Tish Cyrus and is a dad to son Christopher, 32, who he shares with ex Kristin Luckey
While the duo didn’t include a caption spelling things out with Elizabeth only writing ‘Happy Easter’, the photo spoke for itself and marked their first public display as a couple.
Elizabeth’s son Damian appeared to give their union his seal of approval as he dropped a heart and clapping emoji in the comments section.
The pair’s unexpected new romance was reportedly first sparked last year, when she came to his aid as his third marriage crumbled.
The surprise hard-launch shocked fans, coming just months after Billy’s whirlwind divorce from singer Firerose in August, following a dramatic break-up that played out both publicly and privately.
However, new reports claim that it was Billy and Firerose’s split that laid the foundation for his romance with Liz, with the singer said to have reached out to the model for help during the ‘really hard time’.
A source told The Sun: ‘There has always been a spark, but he reached out again last year when his short-lived third marriage ended. He has had a really hard time, but she has been there helping him turn things around.’
‘Liz has been really great for him, but her friends are cautious because of what’s been said in the past about him. She insists he has turned a corner and is a changed man.’
They went on to reveal that the Bedazzled star has been helping Billy Ray by urging him to take steps to fix his relationship with his estranged children.
Pop star Miley and her father have had a strained relationship over the years, as have several of her siblings, including sister Noah, 25.
The insider said: ‘Liz has been encouraging [Billy Ray] to mend his fractured relationship with his daughter Miley, as well as his other children. Her closeness with Damian is inspiring.’
Billy Ray reportedly hid his new relationship with Elizabeth from his superstar daughter Miley, with sources claiming the singer, 32, ‘won’t be happy’ about their romance.
An insider has come forward to allege three-time Grammy winner Miley had no idea they were even together. ‘Of course Miley didn’t know,’ a source told New Idea just hours after their Easter debut.
‘She stays away from her dad as much as possible. She won’t be happy about this. She’s about to launch an album and a movie and this is going to overshadow it all!’
Damian’s biological father was American businessman Steve Bing, who died by suicide in 2020
It comes amid news that it was Billy and ex-wife Firerose’s split that laid the foundation for his romance with Liz. The singer is said to have reached out to the model for help during the ‘really hard time’ (pictured with Firerose)
The Bedazzled star has also been helping Billy Ray by urging him to take steps to fix his relationship with his estranged children (pictured Braison, Trace, Noah, Tish, Billy, Brandi and Miley Cyrus)
A source previously told DailyMail.com that Billy Ray became ‘a recluse’ since his split from Firerose because he ‘truly believed’ she was ‘the one.’
‘Since [their divorce], Billy has shut a lot of people out because he really trusts no one,’ they added.
Billy and Firerose announced their engagement in August 2022 and went on to exchange vows at their farm in October 2023.
However, in June 2024, news hit the web that the couple were going their separate ways after only seven months of marriage.
At the time, TMZ reported that Billy Ray had filed for divorce weeks prior, and he cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ and ‘inappropriate marital conduct’ for what led to her split.
Afterwards, both of them made a slew of allegations against one another during an extremely messy court battle.
In legal documents, he claimed she was after his money and accused her of ‘physical, emotional and verbal abuse.’
She also accused the singer of ‘verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse,’ and claimed he had ‘persistent drug use accompanied with the consumption of marijuana.’ Both of them denied the other’s claims.
While speaking to Page Six at the time, Firerose alleged that Billy Ray constantly screamed at her and made her feel like a ‘prisoner’ in their Tennessee home during their marriage.
She also accused the singer of ‘isolating’ her from her friends and family and said that he had attempted to control her by implementing a set of ‘rules’ for her to follow.
Court documents obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com show that Firerose walked away with $0, but according to a source, she was perfectly content with how things played out.
‘She settled for nothing just to be done with him and get away from the situation,’ the insider told DailyMail.com.
Meanwhile, DailyMail.com revealed that Billy Ray’s ex-wife Tish Cyrus suspected that he cheated on her with his new girlfriend Liz all the way back in 2022.
It comes amid reports that his ex-wife Tish Cyrus, 57, had long suspected Billy Ray cheated on her with Elizabeth years ago; Tish seen in 2024
Billy was married to Tish from 1993 until 2022; Billy Ray, Miley and Tish seen in 2019
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, an insider claimed that Billy Ray’s ex-wife Tish saw the duo grow close during production of the film Christmas in Paradise, prior to their divorce.
They said: ‘Billy Ray met Elizabeth in 2022 on the set of their Christmas film, which they both starred in.
‘Tish had her thoughts and suspicions at the time that he was cheating on her with Liz, but Billy Ray flat out denied it.
‘They got very close on the set and seeing that they are together now is a slap in the face for Tish, but it also confirms that she was likely right about her suspicions. They never stopped being in contact.’
Tish and Billy Ray officially divorced in April 2022 after nearly three decades of marriage. They share daughters Miley, Noah, 25, and son Braison, 30.
Billy Ray also adopted Tish’s daughter Brandi, 37, and son Trace, 36, from her previous marriage.
While Liz’s last long-term relationship with late Aussie cricketer Shane Warne ended in 2013, following a marriage to Arun Nayar, a 13-year romance with Hugh Grant, and a son, Damian, with the late Steve Bing.
