Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich ‘Tried to Resolve Their Issues’ Before Divorce Filing: ‘It Wasn’t Working’

Cutting their losses. Julianne Hough and her husband, Brooks Laich, “tried to resolve their issues” before she filed for divorce from the former NHL player on Monday, November 2, a source exclusively tells In Touch.  

Despite their efforts to rekindle their romance, Hough, 32, and Laich, 37, “hit a wall,” the source says about their relationship. “It just wasn’t working and, in the end, Julianne decided to pull the plug. It was a tough decision to make, but she knows it’s for the best and is ready to start a new chapter.” 

The Dancing With the Stars alum submitted paperwork to legally end their marriage amid speculation they were working toward reconciling. Hough and Laich recently spent some time together in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where they got married in 2017, fueling rumors the exes could be getting back together.  

“They grew apart and want different things,” adds the insider. “It happens. She’s come to the realization that you can’t fix what’s already broken.” 

Hough and Laich announced they were calling it quits in May after nearly three years of marriage. “We have lovingly and carefully taken the time we have needed to arrive at our decision to separate,” the duo wrote in their joint statement at the time. “We share an abundance of love and respect for one another and will continue to lead with our hearts from that place. We kindly request your compassion and respect for our privacy moving forward.”

Just before they went public with their split, the former flames were quarantining separately amid the coronavirus pandemic. Another insider close to the Footloose actress exclusively told In Touch in April that “it was Julianne’s decision” to self-isolate in different states amid their ongoing marital struggles. “She [felt it was] good for both of them to get some breathing space.”

The exes were first introduced to each other through a mutual pal in 2013. Even though they weren’t able to make their marriage work, it appears Hough and Laich will remain friendly post-breakup.

After news of her divorce filing broke, the dancer shared a cryptic quote from the late Nelson Mandela, reading, “May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.”