Julianne Hough opens up about her past relationship issues.
During a recent interview on the “Armchair Expert” podcast with host Dax Shepard, Hough explained what led to her breakup with Ryan Seacrest after three years of dating.
The couple began dating when Hough was just starting out in her career, while Seacrest had already established himself in the industry. Hough explained that she felt like “everything had been pulled out from under her feet” and that she was suddenly exposed to things she “didn't even know existed.”
“I had that insecurity of thinking, 'I don't want anyone to think I'm with him because of that.' So I started playing with smaller players. I know that was his experience in past situations and things like that, so I overcompensated again, [I] “I was malleable enough to fit exactly what someone needed me to be to be happy.”
Hough said overcompensating for her insecurities led to her breakup with Seacrest. (MEGA/GC Images | Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)
JULIANNE HOUGH REVEALS SHE'S NOT STRAIGHT: “I'VE NEVER BEEN A FAN OF LABELS”
Shepard sympathized with the “Dancing with the Stars” judge's situation, acknowledging that it must have been difficult to feel like people thought she was dating him to get more exposure.
Seacrest and Hough met when she was a guest on his radio show; however, at the time she was in a relationship with musician Chuck Wicks. Following her breakup with Wicks, she and Seacrest began dating in the summer of 2010 and were together for three years before their breakup in 2013.
“Then I started playing with smaller players. I know that was their experience in past situations and things like that, so again I overcompensated, [I] “I was malleable enough to fit exactly what someone needed me to be to be happy.”
“I remember when I decided to leave it all, there were a lot of Brentwood moms and producers in that world who were like, 'What are you doing?' And I was like, 'What do you mean?' They were like, 'Your life is all set up.' And I was like, 'But I didn't build it,'” she said. “I was like, 'I need to create this. Competitively, it's not mine. I need to feel the pride of doing it.'”
Looking back, Hough realized that her actions during her relationship with the “American Idol” host were “a repeating pattern” and that she's not sure if she was “ever truly in love with someone.” She explained that she “loves the feeling of being loved” and is always willing to do whatever it takes to receive love.
Seacrest and Hough dated for three years, from 2010 to 2013. (Barry King/FilmMagic)
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“And because I'm so full of love from somebody, of course I love you. I love everybody,” she said. “I've been in love with everyone I've dated, but have I? I don't want to overanalyze it, because everyone I've dated has been so good.”
Shortly after her relationship with Seacrest ended, Hough began dating former professional hockey player Brooks Laich. The pair hit it off instantly and tied the knot four years later in July 2017.
Despite having a great love for each other, the marriage did not work out and the couple announced their separation in May 2020, although she revealed that she filed for separation in September 2019.
Their divorce was finalized in June 2022. Speaking to Shepard, Hough explained that Laich was slowing down his career while she was speeding up hers, saying, “He was contracting while I was expanding. We just couldn't find each other in that sense.”
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Hough and Laich separated in September 2019 and finalized their divorce in 2022. (Jennifer Graylock/Getty Images for dOMAIN Integrated)
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“I feel like our relationship and our marriage was perfect, and the ending is perfect, too,” she said. “We both regret that it didn't work out, because I don't think we had the maturity to be together.”
