Julianne Hough has opened up about the regrets she and her ex-husband Brooks Laich have regarding their failed marriage, shedding light on what went wrong in their relationship.
In a candid conversation on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast on August 12, Hough, 36, discussed the complexities and eventual dissolution of her marriage to Laich. The “Dancing with the Stars” judge admitted that while their relationship was significant, it was also fraught with challenges that they couldn’t overcome.
“I believe that our relationship and marriage were right for us at the time, and their ending feels right too,” Hough shared. “We both carry regrets that things didn’t work out because we lacked the maturity to fully connect.”
Hough elaborated on the dynamics that contributed to their separation, describing a mismatch in their personal growth. “He was contracting while I was expanding,” she explained. “We couldn’t align with each other’s growth and fell into our own protective modes.” Despite their separation, Hough expressed sadness over the outcome, acknowledging Laich’s admirable qualities. “He had the greatest heart that I could have ever had the privilege of being with,” she said.
Hough and Laich’s relationship began in November 2013, and they were engaged by August 2015. They married on July 8, 2017, in a picturesque ceremony on Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho, a location Hough cherished from her childhood. Reflecting on their wedding venue, Hough recalled, “When I introduced Brooks to the lake, he fell in love with this special spot, and we knew it was where we wanted to build our future.”
However, after spending the COVID-19 quarantine apart and amid increasing speculation about their marriage, the couple announced their separation in May 2020. In a joint statement at the time, they expressed, “We have lovingly and carefully taken the time we needed to arrive at our decision to separate. We share an abundance of love and respect for one another and will continue to lead with our hearts from that place. We kindly request your compassion and respect for our privacy moving forward.”