She has described herself as a deeply tormented child, growing up under pressures that forced her to present a “sexy facade” long before she was emotionally or physically ready. Today, she speaks with striking honesty about the abuse she endured, doing so while continuing to build an exceptional career that has earned her three Primetime Emmy nominations and placed her among the most recognizable performers in the entertainment industry.

No child should ever be subjected to abuse, yet her story is a painful reminder that it still happens far too often. She has revealed that she was sexually abused by a neighbor when she was just four years old, a traumatic experience that shaped much of her inner world. For years, she carried that pain in silence, only choosing to speak publicly about it for the first time in 2024.

“My first experience was when I was about 4 years old,” she said during an episode of *The Jamie Kern Lima Show*. “By a neighbor in our cul-de-sac. I’ve actually never said that out loud to anybody in an interview before.”

She recalled telling her mother after coming home with her clothes turned inside out. Her mother reacted with shock and fear, and the family decided to move shortly afterward. Looking back, she acknowledged that while her mother acted out of protection, the situation was never truly addressed.

“I guess my mom did do what she could,” she said, visibly emotional. “She just wanted to move and leave. She didn’t want to deal with it. She didn’t want to talk about it, but she did want to get us out.”

She later reflected on how the cultural environment she grew up in complicated her ability to process what had happened. Raised in a strict Mormon household, appearances and perfection were heavily emphasized, leaving little room for difficult conversations or accountability.

“That was a very, very confusing time because obviously growing up in the Mormon culture, everything needs to be perfect. Everybody needs to put on the shiny, ‘We’ve-got-our-stuff-together,’” she explained. “There was not a lot of repercussion for what had happened… that was a very challenging thing to come to terms with, that nobody did anything.”

Born in Orem, Utah, she was the youngest of five siblings. Her parents, Bruce and Marianne, raised the family in a politically active environment; her father later served twice as chairman of the Utah Republican Party and ran for Utah’s 2nd congressional district in 2023. Alongside politics and faith, dance played a central role in the household and would become a defining force in her life.

Now 37, Julianne Hough is widely celebrated for her talent, discipline, and versatility. Her success, however, came with significant personal challenges. As a child, she struggled with anxiety and depression, endured intense bullying during her teenage years, and has faced public body-shaming as an adult.

“I don’t think a lot of people would know that about me because I come off as sunshine and happiness and positivity,” she once said.

Coming from a family of professional dancers, she began competitive dance at just nine years old, with teachers and coaches quickly recognizing her ability. Her childhood took a dramatic turn at age ten when her parents divorced and she was sent to London to live with family friends. The move coincided with her enrollment at the prestigious Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.

Living in Europe forced her to grow up quickly. She left home before sunrise each morning, navigating public transportation on her own.

“I remember one of my first days there I got off at the wrong train station,” she recalled to *People*. “I was just standing there thinking, ‘Where am I?’”

Being immersed in the adult world of competitive ballroom dance at such a young age proved deeply challenging. In a 2013 interview, she revealed that adults sometimes took advantage of her vulnerability while she was away from her parents.

“While I was in London, I was abused, mentally, physically, everything,” she said. “They never got reprimanded for it because we didn’t say something. Instead, we just pivoted and we just moved.”

The pressure to maintain a mature, sensual image was constant.

That’s right — all of this extraordinary talent belongs to none other than Julianne Hough.

Dating Ryan Seacrest
Julianne, who has also served as a judge on America’s Got Talent, has shared that dance was the anchor that gave her confidence when she felt lost. Over the years, she’s endured public scrutiny — from headline-making relationships and breakups to a controversial Halloween costume and body-shaming critiques.

Yet through it all, she’s shown incredible resilience, overcoming personal struggles to emerge as the talented and inspiring star she is today.

Julianne Hough’s romance with Ryan Seacrest was a headline-grabbing one. The two dated from 2010 to 2013, and she didn’t hide her feelings during their time together. “He is such an influential guy … and what if it didn’t work out? Our first date, I was so nervous that I just sat there and interviewed him with questions like, ‘Are you loyal?’ and ‘Are you close to your family?’” she told InStyle )n 2012.

“I’m very in love, and it feels great. I feel like I’m more comfortable in my own skin. You see me instead of all the makeup and hair.”

The split, however, was a tough moment for her.

“It was 2013, and I had just got out of a relationship that was very high profile,” she said on Instagram Live (via ET). “I was on private planes and yachts and living in a very, very well-off house. My life was pretty different from where I grew up.”

Reconnecting with her parents
After her split from Seacrest, Hough began dating NHL player Brooks Laich. The couple got engaged in 2015 and tied the knot two years later. Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t last long, reportedly because Hough wanted too much freedom to fully commit. Yet the breakup brought a silver lining: it allowed Hough to reconnect with her parents.

“They showed up for me as my parents and I needed that,” she reflected on that chapter of her life. “I reclaimed my parental relationship with them and I got to be the kid and they got to take care of me. That was the most healing time for us.”

She added, “I was in a vulnerable place of like, ‘I don’t have anything to protect myself, I am completely raw, so maybe I can hear you more now, and even though I didn’t think that you were understanding at the time, maybe you are, and I can actually receive it now because my guard is down and my heart is open.’ And so that’s when we really went through more of our healing and communication as adults.”

During this period, Hough’s family grew closer as they navigated the aftermath of her past abuse. She acknowledged that her parents felt a sense of guilt when they learned what she had endured during her teenage years. At the time, they didn’t know how to respond and often felt helpless, unsure of how to support her.

Ready for love again?
In 2025, Julianne Hough opened up about being ready for love — but on her own terms. The Dancing with the Stars host told E! News that she’s drawn more to energy than appearances.

”It’s all energy-based,” she explained. “” don’t really have a type. It’s more connection, and that’s it.”

Julianne Hough has been open about her battle with endometriosis, a painful condition affecting the tissue lining the uterus. She was diagnosed in 2008 and went public to help break the stigma surrounding the disease.

Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich
”I found out that I had endometriosis and that I needed to get surgery that week,” she told People in 2017.

However, she had experienced symptoms long before her diagnosis.

”When I was 15, I had symptoms of endometriosis, but I had never heard of it, didn’t know what it was. I thought that this was just the kind of pain you have when you’re on your period,” she explained. ”For years, I was just thinking that was normal and never really talked about it.”

Inside her painful diagnosis
Julianne Hough has also spoken about how endometriosis can affect fertility, a topic she discussed with her then-husband, Brooks Laich.

”We never actually tried to get pregnant. It was more of a precautionary measure: Let’s do our due diligence for the future by freezing eggs,” she told Women’s Health.

In the same interview, she shared how her symptoms had improved, which she attributed to ”the love and kindness I’m giving to my body.” She added, ”I believe there’s stress, shame, guilt, and suppression of female energy that’s associated with endometriosis, so de-layering that has really helped.”

And what about that infamous Halloween costume Julianne Hough wore back in 2013? She showed up at a party dressed as Crazy Eyes from Orange Is the New Black, sparking immediate backlash. Hough quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to apologize after her blackface Halloween costume drew criticism.

”I am a huge fan of the show ‘Orange is the New Black,’ actress Uzo Aduba, and the character she has created,” she penned. ”It certainly was never my intention to be disrespectful or demeaning to anyone in any way. I realize my costume hurt and offended people, and I truly apologize.”

Uzo Aduba, who portrayed Crazy Eyes on the show, commented on Hough’s decision. ”I think maybe it was an unfortunate event, but she apologized, and I feel like we can all move on,” she told E! News.Did you know about Julianne Hough’s past and everything she’s been through? 😳 I honestly didn’t realize all of it myself! Share this article if you also think Julianne is truly inspiring 💖