Miley Cyrus & Mom Defend Star’s Relationship With Billy Ray

 
 
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  • Miley Cyrus and mom Leticia on the red carpet of the 2009 Oscar Awards
  • Miley Cyrus shines on the Clive Davis pre-Grammy bash red carpet
  • Tish, Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus make it a family affair on the Globes red carpet
  • Another father daughter red carpet moment

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  • Getty Images

    Miley Cyrus and mom Leticia on the red carpet of the 2009 Oscar Awards

  • David Greenwald/Access Hollywood

    Miley Cyrus shines on the Clive Davis pre-Grammy bash red carpet

  • Getty Images

    Tish, Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus make it a family affair on the Globes red carpet

  • AP

    Another father daughter red carpet moment

 
 

FIRST PUBLISHED: February 22, 2009 6:34 PM EST
LAST UPDATED: February 22, 2009 7:01 PM EST

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

The Oscars were a family affair for Miley Cyrus on Sunday night, as she brought her mom along as her date.

“She’s my mom and my date – and my dress fluffer!” Miley joked with Access Hollywood’s Nancy O’Dell and Billy Bush on the red carpet.

So where was dad Billy Ray?

“Dad stepped on my train too many times at the Golden Globes,” Miley laughed. “He’s not coming until he learns what a train is and how not to step on it!”

But when it comes to her relationship with her father, it’s something the tween star takes very serious and she has been forced to fend off attacks questioning the pair’s relationship.

“I feel like me and my dad have a better relationship than most kids in high school do with their parents and some say that’s odd, but I don’t find that odd,” Miley added. “He’s the reason I’m alive! And he’s the one that lets me do this! It’s not just my choice – it’s my parents’ choice too.”

Miley’s mom, Tish, also defended her daughter’s relationship with Billy Ray and said it can be hard to ignore the attacks against her family.

“It is hurtful,” Tish told Nancy and Billy. “She has such a good relationship with us.”

“I know at 16, I didn’t want to hang out with my parents,” her mom joked.

Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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