The Timeline Of Miley Cyrus & Liam Hemsworth's Breakup Is Hard To Relive
Celebrity relationships and friendships are a rare breed. These famous faces have their lives played out in front of the masses, whether it’s the good, the bad, or the straight-up shady. In Elite Daily’s new series, It’s Complicated, we’re highlighting the biggest celebrity “feuds” that took over Hollywood and dominated our Sunday brunches for weeks on end. We’ll take a deep dive into the lives and social media feeds of our favorite stars and dissect what happened in front of the camera, what went down behind the scenes, and everything you might have missed in between.
Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus shocked fans in late August 2019 when they confirmed rumors they were dunzo. After meeting on the set of The Last Song in 2009, the two stars dated on and off for, like, ever, before finally pulling the trigger and tying the knot in December 2018 in Nashville. Now, they're going their separate ways after less than a year of marriage, and the world may never know the truth about where and when it all went wrong. What fans do know, is there's been a ton of drama in the wake of the split, so let's take a look at the timeline of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth's breakup, because there's definitely a lot to see here, fam!
June 30, 2019: Cyrus Photographed Without Wedding Rings
The best place to start is probably at the Glastonbury Festival on June 30, when Cyrus hit the stage without her engagement and wedding rings.
The omission raised eyebrows, coming just days after the Tinderbox Festival in Denmark, where Miley told the crowd, "I'm f*cking sick of men," while singing her 2013 breakup hit "Wrecking Ball" — a song reportedly about Hemsworth.
July 11, 2019: Cyrus' Elle Cover Drops
In a cover story for Elle's August Issue, Cyrus opened up about her sexuality, and her remarks led many fans to believe her marriage was on the rocks.
"I think it's very confusing to people that I'm married, but my relationship is unique," she explained to the publication. "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."
Aug. 9, 2019: Cyrus Kicks Off Hot Girl Summer
Cyrus took a trip to Lake Como, Italy with friends including her sister, Brandi Cyrus, and Brody Jenner's ex, Kaitlynn Carter (more on that in a sec).
In a video taken during the vacay, the singer showed off some sexy dance moves with serious Bangerz vibes — an era that just happened to follow a previous split from Hemsworth back in 2013. The "Mother's Daughter" singer also posted a bunch of smokin' bikini shots, and the whole "Hot Girl Summer" vibe was enough to get people speculating that Cyrus was single.
Aug. 9, 2019: Carter Rocks The Boat
With rumors of a #MiLiam split at fever pitch, Carter posted a selfie from Italy on a yacht with Cyrus — who was, once again, sans wedding ring. According to reports, the two were later spotted kissing and cuddling.
"They took boat rides together and spent days at the pool where they swam and jumped off a dock into the ocean," a source told E! News. "They were never far from each other and every few minutes they would pull each other in close and make out under their hats. They couldn't keep their hands off of each other." Elite Daily previously reached out to reps for both Carter and Cyrus for confirmation of the report, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Aug. 10, 2019: Couple Officially Announce Split
A few hours after the pictures of Cyrus and Carter were released, Cyrus' rep confirmed to Entertainment Tonight the singer had, in fact, split from Hemsworth.
"Liam and Miley have agreed to separate at this time," the rep said in a statement. "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."
Meanwhile, according to People, while the pair made their split public on Aug. 10, they had reportedly been separated for months.
Aug. 11, 2019: Cyrus (Possibly) Speaks Out
Just one day after the announcement, Cyrus seemingly addressed her breakup with Hemsworth on Instagram when she posted a bunch of pics on top of a mountain in Italy.
"Don’t fight evolution, because you will never win," she wrote in the caption. "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."
Aug. 13, 2019: Hemsworth Comments On The Split, Too
After being spotted in Australia without his wedding ring, Hemsworth hit up his IG to directly address the separation.
"Just a quick note to say that Miley and I have recently separated and I wish her nothing but health and happiness going forward," he wrote next to a picture of a sunset. "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."
Aug. 16, 2019: Cyrus Drops New Single
Six days after announcing her separation, Cyrus released her new single "Slide Away." The lyrics had fans convinced the song was about Hemsworth and their split.
Check 'em out:
Once upon a time, it was paradise/Once upon a time, I was paralyzed/Think I'm gonna miss these harbor lights/But it's time to let it go/Once upon a time, it was made for us/Woke up one day, it had turned to dust/Baby, we were found, but now we're lost/So it's time to let it go.
Ugh, I'm not crying, you are.
Here's the full lyric video, if you really wanna weep:
Aug. 21, 2019: Hemsworth Reportedly Files for Divorce
Hemsworth filed for divorce from Cyrus on Aug. 21 in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences, according to a report by TMZ. Elite Daily previously reached out to representatives for both Cyrus and Hemsworth, but did not hear back in time for publication.
The move apparently came as a surprise to the singer.
"She didn’t expect it and is a bit disappointed, but she is still doing well and has obviously moved on as well," a source told People.
Later that same day, rumors surfaced that claimed Hemsworth decided to move forward with the divorce because he was more "traditional" than Cyrus.
"Liam’s decision to file for divorce is sad, but in the end, it was never going to work," a source told ET. "They are too different. Liam never wanted to share Miley with anyone. He loves her and he is far too traditional. He finally realized he just wants to start fresh." Elite Daily reached out to Hemsworth's team for confirmation of the report, but did not hear back.
Aug. 22, 2019: Cyrus Slams Cheating Rumors
Rumors that Cyrus had been unfaithful to Hemsworth began circulating after she was spotted with Carter in Italy. On Aug. 22, the singer hit up social media to set the record straight, explaining that despite her wild past, her marriage to Hemsworth did not end because of infidelity.
"I can accept that the life I’ve chosen means I must live completely open and transparent with my fans who I love, and the public, 100% of the time," she wrote on both Twitter and Instagram. "What I cannot accept is being told I’m lying to cover up a crime I haven’t committed. I have nothing to hide."
"It is no secret that I was into partying in my teens and early 20’s," she continued. "But the truth is, once Liam & I reconciled, I meant it, & I was committed. There are NO secrets to uncover here. 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."
You can view the full Twitter thread here.
Aug. 26, 2019: New Ink For Cyrus
Backstage at the VMAs on Aug. 26, Cyrus rolled up rocking a new tattoo on her left bicep that seems to reference the end of her marriage.
It features a lyric from the 1990 Pixies’ song "The Thing," and reads: "My head was feeling scared, but my heart was feeling free."
Also backstage at the event was Carter, who was seen holding hands with Cyrus as they walked into a VMA afterparty.
Sept. 3, 2019: Cyrus Moves On
According to a report from People over Labor Day weekend, Cyrus and Carter were still going strong and had reportedly moved in together.
"They live together and are very happy,” a source told the publication. "Miley is doing great. She is moving on. She seems to have no regrets. She loves being with Kaitlynn." Elite Daily previously reached out to reps for both Cyrus and Carter for confirmation on the reported move but did not hear back.
Sept. 7, 2019: "Slide Away" Music Video Drops
On Sept. 7, Miley released the music video for "Slide Away." In it, Cyrus is floating around in a pool filled with pills and empty bottles, a reference to the song's lyrics: "I want my house in the Hills/Don't want the whiskey and pills."
Also in the pool? A 10 of hearts playing card, which fans are convinced is a reference to Cyrus and Hemsworth's decade-long on-again, off-again relationship.
Same, Kamantha. Same.
Anyway, here's the video:
The whole thing is just super sad, but as long Cyrus and Hemsworth are happy and at peace with their decision to call it quits, then I guess their fans will all have to find a way to be happy about it, too.
Until then, at least we'll always have #MiLiam singing along to Maroon 5 in The Last Song.
