Julianne Hough American Dancer From Orem

Early life

Julianne Hough was born on 20 July 1988 in Orem, Utah, the youngest of five children. Her brother, Derek, is also a professional dancer. Her formal training began at the Center Stage Performing Arts Studio in Orem, and she started competing in dance at nine.

At ten she was sent to London with her brother to live and study with the coaches Corky and Shirley Ballas and their son, Mark. They went on to the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, where they trained in singing, theatre, gymnastics and several styles of dance, including jazz, ballet and tap. At twelve she formed a pop trio called 2B1G with her brother and Mark Ballas, which performed at dance competitions in the United Kingdom and the United States. At fifteen she became the youngest dancer, and the only American, to win both the Junior World Latin and International Latin Youth titles at the Blackpool Dance Festival. Back in the United States she attended the Las Vegas Academy and Alta High School.

Career

Hough was one of the Million Dollar Dancers on the 2006 ABC game show Show Me the Money. In 2007 she joined Dancing with the Stars as a professional dancer. She won season four with the speed skater Apolo Ohno, becoming the youngest professional to win the show, and season five with the racing driver Hélio Castroneves. Later partners included Adam Carolla, Cody Linley and Chuck Wicks. After a final season in 2009 she stepped away to pursue music, but she came back for guest dances, filled in as a guest judge in 2013 and joined the judging panel permanently in September 2014, a seat she held until 2017. In March 2023 it was announced that she would return as co-host alongside Alfonso Ribeiro.

Her music career began with the country single "Will You Dance with Me" in May 2007, released to raise money for the American Red Cross. She signed with Universal Music Group Nashville and released a self-titled debut album in 2008, produced by David Malloy. It debuted at number one on the Top Country Albums chart and reached number three on the Billboard 200. Singles included "That Song in My Head" and "My Hallelujah Song", and she also put out a Christmas collection, Sounds of the Season. She toured with Brad Paisley in 2008. A later single, "Is That So Wrong", came out in 2010 as the lead release for a second album, Wildfire, which was never issued.

With Derek she toured North America in the summers of 2014 and 2015 under the name Move Live on Tour, and announced a further tour for 2017. The siblings also hosted holiday specials for ABC in 2016.

Hough's acting career started with an uncredited part as a schoolgirl in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001). She played a dancer named Georgia in Burlesque (2010), then took her first leading role as Ariel Moore in Footloose (2011). Later films include Rock of Ages (2012, as Sherrie Christian), Safe Haven (2013), Paradise (2013, as Lamb Mannerheim), Curve (2015, as Mallory Rutledge) and Dirty Grandpa (2016, as Meredith). In January 2016 she played Sandy in Fox's live television production of Grease. She appeared in an episode of the Netflix anthology series Heartstrings and served as a judge on America's Got Talent for one season, joining in 2019. In 2026 she appeared in The Bride!

On stage, Hough made her Broadway debut as Dusty in the comedy POTUS, which began performances at the Shubert Theatre on 14 April 2022. She hosted the first hour of the 75th Tony Awards with Darren Criss, and she has fronted the Act One pre-show for the ceremony in 2023 and 2024.

Recognition

Hough won an Academy of Country Music Award for new artist in 2009, following her debut album.

Personal life

Hough married the hockey player Brooks Laich in 2017; they separated in 2020. She co-owns a wine brand, Fresh Vine Wine, with the actress Nina Dobrev.