If people are wondering how a famously glamorous actress like Elizabeth Hurley could possibly be interested in Billy Ray Cyrus, a messy, past-his-prime country star, they could consider a new report that says they “got close” — or more — while co-starring in a bad Christmas movie. In 2022, they both signed on to appear in “Christmas in Paradise,” a family dramedy set on a Caribbean island that also starred Kelsey Grammer. The Daily Mail quoted a source who said that Hurley, 59, and Cyrus, 63, met on the set and bonded. His wife of 30 years, Tish Cyrus, even suspected that more than just a friendship was going on. “Tish had her thoughts and suspicions at the time that he was cheating on her with Liz, but Billy Ray flat out denied it,” the source told the Daily Mail. If Tish Cyrus had reasons to suspect an affair, it’s safe to guess that she wasn’t at all surprised by Cyrus and Hurley going on Instagram Sunday to let the world know that they are a couple. They shared a photo of themselves going in for a kiss, while leaning against a fence in some picturesque country setting. The British actress wore a cowboy hat, while the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer playfully donned Easter Sunday bunny ears, along with his signature tattoos covering one arm and his scraggly long hair. “Happy Easter,” Hurley captioned the photo, with a heart emoji. The source told the Daily Mail that Hurley and Cyrus became more than just friends on the set of “Christmas in Paradise,” while The Sun reported that there was a “spark” between them. “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,” the source continued. But a source for another Daily Mail report said they just became friends, though they bonded over shared life experiences, as they’ve “both been through a lot in life.” They stayed in touch after the film shoot, with this source insisting that the romance itself is “very recent.” “They really understand each other and Liz is a very compassionate person, which Billy Ray adores,” this source also said. She also has been spending time with him on his Nashville farm. Many people probably didn’t know that there is a movie called “Christmas in Paradise.” It’s one of those many holiday romantic comedies cranked out by streaming services or cable networks. These movies give viewers something to have on in the background while they’re folding laundry, and they provide employment to celebrities whose careers have seen better days. In “Christmas in Paradise,” Hurley appears as one of three “quirky” sisters who chase Grammer, their missing father, to a beautiful Caribbean island. Improbably, Hurley, then in her late 50s, plays the mother of a newborn daughter. On the island, Hurley’s character and her sisters find “life, love, laughter.” They also befriend Cyrus. With his hair in long braids, Cyrus plays a version of himself, a once popular country star who has discovered a new purpose in life, serenading resort guests and dispensing home-spun wisdom. Even if the characters Cyrus and Hurley played don’t become romantically involved, the the Daily Mail and The Sun suggested they became intimate in other ways. Meanwhile, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus divorced that same year. They share daughters Miley, 32, and Noah, 25, and son Braison, 30. Cyrus also adopted Tish’s daughter Brandi, 37, and son Trace, 36, from her previous marriage. For another Daily Mail report, a source said that Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus’ marriage was plagued by his “intense bouts of drinking and alleged drug abuse.” Their split completely divided the Cyrus family. Both moved on with other partners. In 2023, Cyrus married the singer Firerose, who is 27 years his junior. But that relationship was tumultuous, marked by back-and-forth allegations of physical, emotional and verbal abuse, which both have denied. Firerose also claimed that her husband engaged in “persistent drug use accompanied with the consumption of marijuana.” Cyrus and Firerose divorced last year. Tish Cyrus, meanwhile, married actor Dominic Purcell in 2023. Miley Cyrus was her mother’s maid of honor and Tish and Dominic are still together. The idea that Hurley would want to date Cyrus came as a shock to many. She’s seen as being in another league. She was the longtime partner of the A-list Hugh Grant and subsequently became involved with multimillionaires and a star Australian cricket star. Then again, her career also is long past its peak days of when she starred in movies like “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” or was the face of Estée Lauder. Still, Cyrus doesn’t strike many as a model of stability right now, raising concerns among Hurley fans about what she’s getting herself into. The singer hasn’t had a hit in a while and is reportedly struggling to find work, the Daily Mail reported in January. He also is reportedly estranged from his children. A source told The Sun that Cyrus reached out to Hurley last year, following the end of his marriage to Firerose. “He has had a really hard time, but she has been there helping him turn things around,” the source said “Liz has been really great for him, but her friends are cautious because of what’s been said in the past about him,” the source also said. “She insists he has turned a corner and is a changed man.”