Julianne Hough Says Seeing Her Ex-Husband and His Girlfriend at a Wedding Helped Her Feel 'Fullness of Life' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Julianne Houghhad no issues sharing space with her ex-husband,Brooks Laich, and his girlfriend.In PEOPLE’s exclusive sneak peek at part three of Hough’s appearance onThe Jamie Kern Lima Showpodcast, theDancing with the Starshost, 36, candidly describes how she felt attending a wedding where the former NHL hockey player, 41, and his girlfriend Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir were also in attendance.“It was so beautiful. It was so beautiful,” she says. “And again, like I’m in this place where I now feel like I’m just beginning with so much wisdom, with so much insight, with so much compassion and so much empathy and understanding of like, what’s possible, and having the extreme of like, ‘Will this ever end?’ to ‘Oh my gosh, like, I get to, like, literally, design and create the life of my dreams’, and know that every decision I’m going to make is going to be from here and that, like, you know, it still doesn’t mean it’s going to be this perfect life.“The professional dancer notes that while she doesn’t “want a perfect life,” she wants a “full, beautiful, connected life.“Julianne Hough on the Jamie Kern Lima Show.Jamie Kern Lima Show"You feel joy because you feel sorrow, you feel all these things because you have the spectrum to feel it,” she says. “You have the space to feel it, and that, I think, is what we’re here to experience, is the fullness of life.“She and Laichbegan dating in 2013andtied the knot in an outdoor wedding on Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in July 2017.  After almost three years of marriage, theyannounced their decision to separatein an exclusive statement to PEOPLE in May 2020.From left: Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich attend the 2019 Industry Dance Awards at Avalon Hollywood on August 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.Frazer Harrison/GettyHough officially filed for divorcein November 2020, and the twofinalized their divorce in June 2022.Since then, Laich has been dating CrossFit athleteDavíðsdóttir, with whom he wentInstagram officialwith in August 2021.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!As for what Hough is looking for in her next partner, she shares that she wants someone she has “certain non-negotiables.“Julianne Hough on “Dancing with the Stars”.Disney/Eric McCandlessUltimately, however, she wants to be “living and vibrating in the place of my most authentic self for that to be what attracts whoever it is, versus I’m gonna put what I think I want and need out there and then literally force create it.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The third and final part of Hough’s interview onThe Jamie Kern Lima Showpremieres Tuesday, September 24.

Julianne Houghhad no issues sharing space with her ex-husband,Brooks Laich, and his girlfriend.

In PEOPLE’s exclusive sneak peek at part three of Hough’s appearance onThe Jamie Kern Lima Showpodcast, theDancing with the Starshost, 36, candidly describes how she felt attending a wedding where the former NHL hockey player, 41, and his girlfriend Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir were also in attendance.

“It was so beautiful. It was so beautiful,” she says. “And again, like I’m in this place where I now feel like I’m just beginning with so much wisdom, with so much insight, with so much compassion and so much empathy and understanding of like, what’s possible, and having the extreme of like, ‘Will this ever end?’ to ‘Oh my gosh, like, I get to, like, literally, design and create the life of my dreams’, and know that every decision I’m going to make is going to be from here and that, like, you know, it still doesn’t mean it’s going to be this perfect life.”

The professional dancer notes that while she doesn’t “want a perfect life,” she wants a “full, beautiful, connected life.”

Julianne Hough on the Jamie Kern Lima Show.Jamie Kern Lima Show

Jamie Kern Lima Show

“You feel joy because you feel sorrow, you feel all these things because you have the spectrum to feel it,” she says. “You have the space to feel it, and that, I think, is what we’re here to experience, is the fullness of life.”

She and Laichbegan dating in 2013andtied the knot in an outdoor wedding on Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in July 2017.  After almost three years of marriage, theyannounced their decision to separatein an exclusive statement to PEOPLE in May 2020.

From left: Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich attend the 2019 Industry Dance Awards at Avalon Hollywood on August 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.Frazer Harrison/Getty

Frazer Harrison/Getty

Hough officially filed for divorcein November 2020, and the twofinalized their divorce in June 2022.

Since then, Laich has been dating CrossFit athleteDavíðsdóttir, with whom he wentInstagram officialwith in August 2021.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

As for what Hough is looking for in her next partner, she shares that she wants someone she has “certain non-negotiables.”

Julianne Hough on “Dancing with the Stars”.Disney/Eric McCandless

Disney/Eric McCandless

Ultimately, however, she wants to be “living and vibrating in the place of my most authentic self for that to be what attracts whoever it is, versus I’m gonna put what I think I want and need out there and then literally force create it.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The third and final part of Hough’s interview onThe Jamie Kern Lima Showpremieres Tuesday, September 24.

source: people.com