Julianne Hough Abused 'Mentally, Physically' - 'Tormented Little Kid' Who Wanted Love
Actress Julianne Hough has opened up about her childhood and revealed that she was "abused, mentally, physically, everything." Hough played a domestic abuse survivor in her latest film, "Safe Haven," which brought back memories for the real-life survivor.
"I was 10 years old, looking like I was 28, being a very sensual dancer. I was a tormented little kid who had to put on this sexy façade because that was my job and my life. But my heart was the same, and I was this innocent little girl. I wanted so much love," Hough told Cosmopolitan magazine.
Hough's parents divorced when she was just 10 years old, and she decided to move to London with her brother Derek so she could study dance. She refused to name who exactly hurt her and said she is a "very forgiving person, and I don't want to hurt anybody. What's past is past," she explained.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
She decided to get involved in "Safe Haven," which is based on the Nicholas Sparks' book after reading the story. The lead character, Katie, manages to escape an abusive relationship and find love again; she was too good of a character for Hough to pass up.
"I told Lasse Hallstron (the director), 'There is a sadness in that room, something more complicated that the character needed to have. And that's what she has,'" Josh Duhamel told Cosmopolitan. He plays her co-star in the film, which is due out on Valentine's Day.
Hough's own story has a happy ending; she has been happily dating Ryan Seacrest for over two years. The couple initially kept their relationship quiet but went public in 2010.
"We both like that perfection in ourselves, and we want to make our relationship like that," she told Taste of Country.
She has also had a successful career in a variety of avenues: dance, music, and acting.
