Dancer/actor/singer, Julianne "Huff" Hough, is mostly known for appearing on multiple seasons of Dancing with the Stars. Her national breakout moment was her lead acting role in the 2011 film, Footloose.
Hough is admired for her dashing good looks and her flashy dance moves, but there's more to learn about her rise to stardom. From her innately talented, hard-working family to her time studying dance in London, there's a lot to learn about her life. Maybe you don't know that she had a recording deal as a country music artist? Maybe you don't know that you can find her in one of the more iconic Harry Potter films?
She was destined for the spotlight long before she hit it big. Find out 18 more facts about Julianne Hough before she became...well, Julianne Hough.
18 She And Her Family Would Hike Often
The Houghs resided in Orem, Utah, which is only 3 hours away from what is known as one of the top adventure towns in the United States. We're referring to Moab. When Julianne and her brother, Derek, were children, the family would frequently visit some of the most popular adventure sites in the country.
17 House Of Gryffindor
At the young age of 13, she starred as an extra in the debut film of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. This 2001 movie was Hough's first as a child. She appeared in the film before she even began her life in dance.
16 The Local Family Band
According to Jules' Instagram, she and her siblings were local legends. They had a family cover band called "White Lightning" where she played bongos and chimes. They'd be found performing at town gatherings.
They were inspired by their mother, who enrolled them in numerous performing arts courses. All the Houghs have been active in theater arts since early childhood. They billed themselves, "The Blond Osmonds".
15 Opened Up About Abuse In Her Youth
Hough has been wearing makeup since age 10 and was no stranger to spray-tanning at that tender age. When in London, she began dancing professionally, in a more sensual way. It was her job, she told Cosmpolitan, and she felt like her dance career forced her to put on a more mature and sexy facade.
She alluded that things got worse “when I started hitting puberty, when I started becoming a woman and stopped being a little girl."
14 10-Year Old Julianne
After her parents separated, she and her brother, Derek, moved to London to study dance. They went to high school at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. She became the leading female dancer at the academy.
It is there that she truly perfected her theatre and performing arts skills.
13 Derek The Dancer
Julianne isn't the only Hough that became a famous professional dancer. Derek Hough, the older brother, went to London's Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts with Jules and also became a successful Dancing With the Stars performer. He also had a small part as an extra in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Later on, he would take on the small screen by appearing in ABC's Nashville, as Noah West. They have a very close relationship and have made tons of career moves together.
12 Mark Ballas
Julianne's parents, while going through a divorce, sent Julianne and her brother Derek to London. They lived and studied with their coaches, Corky & Shirley Ballas. The older couple tutored the Houghs, alongside their own son, Mark. At the London-based academy, the Houghs learned theatre, gymnastics and all different forms of dance, like jazz, tap, and ballet.
At age 12, Julianne, Derek, and Mark formed their own pop music trio, 2B1G. They performed at dance competitions in the UK and the U.S. and were showcased on a UK television show.
11 Country Star
She opened for Brad Paisley in 2009, performing tunes from her self-titled album. She had a deal with Universal Music Group and later opened for the legendary George Strait. Her first two singles from the album, "That Song in My Head" and "My Hallelujah Song," rose in the country charts. The same year, she won her first two Academy of Country Music Awards for Top New Female Vocalist and Top New Artist.
10 Fertility
Julianne Hough was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2008. That is where the tissue that lines a woman’s uterus grows on other organs outside the uterus, which can cause pain and infertility. During the same year, her appendix was removed.
"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," Hough revealed to People.
9 Hough Was Raised Mormon
Julianne Hough was raised in a strict Mormon community in a Utah suburb. Hough told The New York Post that she was brought up fairly sheltered in her Mormon household. She said that Sandy, Utah was like a bubble where: "everyone knew everyone else's business".
She told the Post, with regard to religion: “I’m not practicing, but I’m so glad I was raised Mormon,” she says. And even if she’s no longer a churchgoer, there is still one father she keeps on speed dial. Her father likes to keep her accountable.
One of Hough’s strongest influences is her politician father, Bruce, who was a two-time chairman of the Utah Republican Party.
