Dancer, singer, actress… she basically does everything.
Throughout the years, Julianne Hough has continued to expand her skill-set as the world fell
more and more in love with her.
Let's take a closer look at what's gone into her stunning transformation.
Left home early
From the very beginning, Hough pursued a career with a demanding schedule.
She and her brother, Derek, left home when they were 10 and 13 years old, respectively,
in order to attend a London dance and theater arts school.
While training to be ballroom dancers, they took the subway by themselves every day.
Hough shared, "I remember one of my first days there I got
off at the wrong train station….
I was just standing there thinking, 'Where am I?'"
Past abuse
On top of an intense schedule at such a young age, other parts of life were difficult for
Hough overseas.
She explained to Cosmopolitan,
"While I was in London, I was abused, mentally, physically, everything."
She was forced to grow up fast, and she experienced even more trouble once she reached puberty.
Looking back, she said,
"I was 10 years old looking like I was 28, being a very sensual dancer.
I was a tormented little kid who had to put on this sexy facade because that was my job
and my life."
Thick skin
Hough ended up spending five years in London.
She told Teen Vogue that this time in her life taught her to have thick skin.
Unfortunately, the future star would need that thick skin once she returned to Utah
for high school.
She explained,
"I had a hard time with bullying.
I ate lunch in the bathroom...
I'd get invited to parties, and instead it would be these abandoned houses."
Too far
Hough has always worked out and taken care of her body.
But even she looks back and thinks she took it too far in the past.
"I would tell my 18-year-old self is that all you need is within yourself."
Hough told SHAPE Magazine during an interview in 2016,
"When I look at pictures of myself when I was 19, my body was bangin', but I was messing
with myself.
I was working out two and a half hours a day and eating the bare minimum to survive.
I was so miserable."
"To work out, for me, it used to be 'what I looked like' thing, but now I need it for
my mental health."
Film acting
At 22 years old, Hough landed a role in the movie Burlesque.
And while her role in the movie involved a lot of dancing, this was a different type
of hard work.
She said, "On Dancing with the Stars, you learn the
dance, you dance the dance on TV, and then you're done….
Burlesque was months of preparation, and each number was shot over and over again, over
16-hour days."
Paparazzi
In 2011 the 22-year-old was dating another well-known celeb: Ryan Seacrest.
With two celebs in one relationship, the paparazzi regularly followed the couple and reported
on their lives.
Hough spoke to Women's Health Magazine about the press, saying,
"It kind of sucks….
I was thinking, Oh, crap, maybe I should've sucked in a little."
"It really messes with you."
Dream wedding
While Hough's relationship with Seacrest didn't work out, she started dating her future husband,
hockey player Brooks Laich, in 2014.
Once they got engaged in 2015, Hough and Laich knew exactly where they wanted their dream
wedding to take place.
Hough's family used to spend summers at a lake in Idaho, and she told People,
"When I introduced Brooks to the lake, he fell in love with this special spot, and we
knew this was where we wanted to raise our family and grow old together."
"It just felt right to be married here."
The couple tied the knot in July of 2017.
Chilled out
For Hough, the years keep getting better.
The star reflected on her looks during her teen years with People magazine, saying,
"Back when I was on Dancing With the Stars at 18 years old, I think I look older than
I do now….
I've definitely gone for a 'less is more' standpoint [today].
I cut back on hair and makeup and all that stuff."
And while Hough still works out and looks fabulous, she has her cheat days too.
Speaking with SHAPE magazine, Hough said,
"E! News recently posted a picture of me coming out of the gym, and there were all these comments
about the photo, like, 'We could have abs like this, but we love pizza too much.'
I started laughing because pizza is my favorite food.
I eat it a lot!"
"I'm pretty much, I just eat everything, so..."
Dancing forever
Hough may have a full plate with her insane schedule, but she knows what is important
to her and what she won't give up.
She told ET Online, "I don't think I'll ever stop dancing….
Dancing is just a part of who I am at the core, and whether that's taking classes or
performing or just dancing in the kitchen, it's just a part of who I am.
It makes me happy."
"Obviously it makes total sense cuz I can't stop moving."
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