The Brooks Laich and Julianne Hough divorce is no longer fresh, but the wounds have still yet to truly heal totally.
Obviously, Julianne Hough is keeping busy with her professional life.
Still, in recent interviews, Julianne has been upfront about the pain of her divorce still haunting her to this day.
But now that it’s been years since her marriage ended, how is her personal life doing?
The Brooks Laich and Julianne Hough Divorce Happened Quickly & Quietly
In December of 2013, Julianne Hough began dating hockey player Brooks Laich.
The couple announced their engagement in August of 2015. On July 8, 2017, Hough and Laich married.
However, in 2020, Hough and Laich separated. They attempted a reconciliation, but Julianne Hough’s divorce filing in November of that year signaled the end. In February of 2022, the former couple finalized their divorce.
Julianne Hough attends the The 77th Annual Tony Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on June 16, 2024. (Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
That was two years ago. These days, while she can reflect on the relationship with some perspective, she also is honest about the damage it did to her.
During an appearance on the “Armchair Expert” podcast , the “Dancing With the Stars” host admitted she missed a lot of “orange flags” before they married.
She talked about how they never really lived together until after they were married and how the end of his career added to the stress of their early days of marriage.
But the biggest blow came just a week after she asked for a separation in September 2019. Both of her dogs, Lexi and Harley, died.
“It was very tragic,” she said. “That was all kind of happening at the same time and it was an unraveling.”
“Everything that I had ever known, that I had put in place for my control and my protection,” she added, “I had this marriage to this guy who represented more of a father figure to me, and while he was changing, I was changing.”
The combination of losses made Hough feel like her life was completely “uprooted.”
“I [felt like] I literally blew up my entire life and I have nothing,” she said.
Is Julianne Hough Dating After Her Divorce?
So, where does it leave her now? Well, Julianne Hough spoke to People about just that, providing a little update on her love life.
“Look, my heart is open,” Hough characterized her outlook on love. She stressed that she feels “ready for whatever is right.”
Even so, Hough went on to emphasize that she will not try “forcing” a relationship if she doesn’t feel a genuine connection. The 35-year-old added that she remains “open to what comes.”
Part of the reason that the currently single Julianne Hough isn’t rushing to date after her divorce is that she’s moire than content with being single.
“I’m very happy,” she expressed. “So, it’s got to be something really special.”
When you’re having a great time living your life, you’ll seldom rush to change it. Depending upon your goals and mindset, 35 can be a great time to be single.
Julianne Hough attends the 96th Annual Academy Awards on March 10, 2024. (Photo Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Things seem amicable enough when it comes to Julianne Hough and her ex-husband. She and Brooks Laich were both part of a wedding party as recently as August 2023.
Laich was one of her brother Derek Hough’s groomsmen for his wedding to Hayley Erbert, Hough was a bridesmaid.
Perhaps part of the key of making exes work in a wedding party was the nature of their relationship during their marriage. They kept things positive when parting ways, but also were open about personal exploration during their time together.
Julianne Hough attends the 2024 Disney Upfront at Javits Center on May 14, 2024. (Photo Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Her sexuality was a topic during marriage
Julianne Hough’s sexuality came up during the erstwhile marriage. She opened up about not being straight. At the time, as someone in a closed and monogamous marriage, it was a moot point.
Now that Brooks Laich and Julianne Hough have had their divorce, however, some fans wonder who she’ll date next.
One imagines that Hough is wondering that same thing. But, as she noted, she’s in no rush.
Julianne Hough’s Divorce & How It ‘Blew Up’ Her Life Forever was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.