Cody Linley has no wife. The 36-year-old actor who played Jake Ryan on Hannah Montana from 2006 to 2010 has never been married, and no credible source has reported an engagement or serious public relationship in recent years. His status as of early 2026 appears to be single.
That answer surprises people. Linley was one of the biggest teen heartthrobs of the mid-2000s Disney era, romantically linked to names like Brie Larson, Miley Cyrus, and Demi Lovato before he turned 20. But his real romantic life has always been far quieter than the fictional one Jake Ryan lived on screen. Five reported relationships, zero confirmed engagements, and a deliberate withdrawal from the tabloid cycle that defined his Disney years.
Born November 20, 1989, in Lewisville, Texas, Linley grew up in an entertainment family — his mother, Cathryn Sullivan, is an acting coach who also trained Demi Lovato and Madison Pettis. He started acting at age eight and landed his breakout Disney role at 16. Everything since has been a study in how a former child star navigates adulthood outside the spotlight.
Is Cody Linley Married or Engaged?
Cody Linley is neither married nor engaged as of March 2026. No entertainment outlet — including People, E! News, or Us Weekly — has reported a wife, fiancee, or confirmed partner. His Instagram account, where he posts regularly, shows no indication of a romantic relationship.
Linley keeps his personal life tightly guarded. In a February 2026 appearance on the Reel Appreciation podcast, he described himself as “just a regular guy” and reflected on how surreal it feels when fans still recognize him as Jake Ryan two decades later. He made no mention of a partner.
Cody Linley Engagement — What the Record Shows
Despite persistent fan curiosity, no Cody Linley engagement has ever been confirmed or even credibly rumored. The search term “cody linley engagement” reflects genuine public interest, but the answer is straightforward: there is nothing in the public record — no ring photos, no announcements, no blind items from entertainment press — suggesting he has proposed to or been engaged to anyone.
His last known relationship that generated any press coverage was with actress Chloe Bridges, which ended around 2011. Since then, more than a decade of near-total silence on the subject.
| Status | Detail (as of March 2026) |
|---|---|
| Married | No — never married |
| Engaged | No confirmed engagement, ever |
| Publicly dating | No current public partner |
| Last known relationship | Chloe Bridges, ended circa 2011 |
Cody Linley’s Complete Dating History
Five relationships appear in the public record, all concentrated between 2000 and 2011 — and none since. According to relationship database WhosDatedWho, every documented connection either predates or overlaps with his Disney Channel career.
Miley Cyrus, Brie Larson, and the Cody Linley 2006 Era
Before Hannah Montana made him a household name, Linley dated Nicole Gale Anderson for roughly five years starting around 2000 — by far his longest reported relationship. That ended around the time he was cast alongside Miley Cyrus. The two were briefly linked in 2005–2006, though neither ever confirmed a formal relationship.
The year 2006 was pivotal for Linley’s personal and professional life simultaneously. He starred in the film Hoot opposite Brie Larson — and the two began dating around March 2006, a relationship that lasted approximately ten months. That same year, Hannah Montana premiered on Disney Channel, instantly transforming Linley from a working child actor into a teen idol recognized by millions.
Demi Lovato and Chloe Bridges
The most-searched chapter of Linley’s love life involves Demi Lovato. The two were reportedly together from late 2007 through mid-2008, while both were embedded in the Disney ecosystem. In an interview with Seventeen magazine, Linley described a disastrous date where his car broke down in Hollywood and he showed up two hours late to pick her up.
The connection was brief — roughly seven months — and Lovato moved on publicly with Joe Jonas later that year. But the two maintained a friendship. Linley posted a birthday tribute to Lovato on social media in 2024, and earlier sent a public message of support after her near-fatal overdose in 2018, writing: “Our family has been there, and we know how hard this is.”
His final documented relationship was with actress Chloe Bridges from February 2009 to roughly 2011. Since then, no public romantic connection has surfaced.
| Partner | Approximate Dates | Duration | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole Gale Anderson | 2000–2005 | ~5 years | Pre-Disney, longest known relationship |
| Miley Cyrus | 2005–2006 | ~1 year | Co-stars on Hannah Montana |
| Brie Larson | March 2006–2007 | ~10 months | Co-starred in Hoot |
| Demi Lovato | Nov 2007–June 2008 | ~7 months | Both in Disney orbit; Camp Rock era |
| Chloe Bridges | Feb 2009–2011 | ~2 years | Last publicly reported relationship |
Cody Linley in 2006 and 2014 — Two Defining Career Moments
Two years bracket the arc of Linley’s on-screen career better than any others: 2006, when everything started, and 2014, when he had fully transitioned beyond Disney.
2006: The Hannah Montana Breakout
Cody Linley in 2006 was everywhere. Hannah Montana premiered on Disney Channel on March 24 of that year, and his recurring role as Jake Ryan — Miley Stewart’s famous, charming love interest — made him one of the network’s most recognized faces almost overnight. He appeared in 10 episodes across four seasons, though his cultural impact far exceeded that episode count.
The same year, he appeared in Hoot, a family adventure film based on Carl Hiaasen’s novel, playing the role of Mullet Fingers alongside Brie Larson and Logan Lerman. At just 16, Linley was juggling a feature film career and a hit TV show while navigating the intense public attention that comes with Disney stardom.
2014: From Disney Star to Independent Actor
By 2014, Linley had fully pivoted away from the Disney machine. He starred as the title character in Hoovey, an inspirational sports drama about a high school basketball player battling a brain tumor — a role that showcased a more mature dramatic range than anything Jake Ryan had required. The film also starred Patrick Warburton and Lauren Holly.
Between Hannah Montana’s end in 2011 and that 2014 role, Linley had appeared in Melissa & Joey on ABC Family (2012), the drama The Playroom (2012), and My Dog the Champion (2013). He later showed up in Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens (2016) and Sharknado 5: Global Swarming (2017) — a far cry from Disney, but evidence he never stopped working.
Cody Linley’s Family and the Cousin Connection
Linley grew up in a large Texas family. He is the son of Lee Linley and Cathryn Sullivan, who divorced and both remarried. Sullivan, based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, runs an acting school that produced several Disney Channel stars — Demi Lovato trained there as a child, as did Madison Pettis.
Cody has four brothers. The family suffered a devastating loss in August 2011 when his older brother Chad Allen Linley died at age 29 in Houston. The death, reported by NBC and the Dallas Morning News, was described as unexpected. Demi Lovato publicly tweeted condolences, writing: “RIP Chad Linley… Knew you since I was a kid. You were family.”
The search term “cody linley cousin” is among the most common queries about his family, but no specific cousin has been publicly identified in entertainment media or verified interviews. His extended family roots trace back through several generations of Texans, with paternal lineage stretching to England, according to genealogical records compiled by EthniCelebs. His heritage is primarily English with smaller amounts of Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and German ancestry.
From Jake Ryan to Director — Where Cody Linley Is Now
Linley’s career in 2026 looks nothing like his Disney days, and that appears to be by design. According to a February 2026 Daily Mail profile, he has shifted his focus from acting to directing, with two short films currently in development that he wrote and directed himself.
His appearance has changed too. The sweeping blond hair that defined his Jake Ryan look is gone, replaced by cropped brown locks. He told the Reel Appreciation podcast that he “doesn’t think of himself as a celebrity,” and when asked what Jake Ryan would be doing today, he answered: “Maybe he would be directing like I’m doing.”
He also confirmed he would “love” to reprise the Jake Ryan role if a Hannah Montana reboot ever materialized — though he doubts Jake and Miley would still be together, given how the original series ended with Jake cheating on her.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cody Linley have a wife?
No. Cody Linley has never been married. As of March 2026, no entertainment outlet has reported a wife, and his social media shows no evidence of a current relationship. He appears to be single.
Has Cody Linley ever been engaged?
No confirmed Cody Linley engagement exists in the public record. Despite fan speculation, there are no credible reports, photos, or announcements of a proposal from any point in his life.
Who is Cody Linley’s cousin?
No specific Cody Linley cousin has been publicly identified or featured in entertainment coverage. His family is from Lewisville, Texas, and he has four brothers, but details about extended family members, including cousins, have not appeared in verified interviews or public records.
Is “Cody Lindley” the same person as Cody Linley?
“Cody Lindley” is a common misspelling of the actor’s name. The correct spelling is Cody Linley (L-I-N-L-E-Y). There is a separate person named Cody Lindley who is a web developer and author known for JavaScript-related technical books — he is not the Hannah Montana actor.
What was Cody Linley doing in 2014?
Cody Linley in 2014 starred as the title character in Hoovey, an inspirational drama about a high school basketball player. By that point he had transitioned from Disney Channel work to independent film projects, including Melissa & Joey, The Playroom, and My Dog the Champion.
How old is Cody Linley?
Cody Linley is 36 years old, born November 20, 1989, in Lewisville, Texas. He was 16 when Hannah Montana premiered in 2006 and 18 when he competed on Dancing with the Stars Season 7 in 2008, finishing in fourth place with partner Julianne Hough.
Conclusion
Cody Linley has no wife, no confirmed engagement, and no public relationship as of 2026. The actor who made millions of teenagers swoon as Jake Ryan on Hannah Montana has spent his post-Disney years deliberately building a private life that looks nothing like the one he played on screen.
His dating history is concentrated entirely in the 2000–2011 window, with Brie Larson, Demi Lovato, and Chloe Bridges among the confirmed connections. Since then, silence. He now directs short films, maintains a low-key social media presence, and occasionally reminds the world he exists through podcast appearances and nostalgic press coverage. For the generation that grew up watching him chase Miley Stewart, his real story turned out to be far quieter — and, in its own way, more interesting.
