Why Julianne Hough Wasn’t Close to Her Non-Famous Siblings After Finding Fame

Fans of Derek and Julianne Hough may not know that the siblings also have three older sisters who tried, but failed, to break into the entertainment industry.

On the September 9 episode of the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast, the Dancing With the Stars host dished on her once-strained relationship with her sisters — and how they reconnected.

“My three older sisters, they all danced and sang and acted, and we were in a band,” said Julianne, 37. “We’ve had this conversation. There’s no jealousy, but there is, like, a sadness that maybe there wasn’t an opportunity for them to experience it.”

The siblings, who grew up in a Mormon household, all ultimately took “different paths.”

Julianne is the youngest of the five, with older sisters Katherine, Sharee and Marabeth all leading quiet lives outside of the spotlight.

“They’re so happy, so, so, so happy. And look, they have great lives, and they love their life. But, you know it’s a ‘what if.’ We had an opportunity that they didn’t have. Yeah. And it’s hard,” she continued.

According to the Safe Haven actress, she and Derek, 40, “were always so close” because they were living similar lives.

“We never wanted to share because we were afraid to hurt someone’s feelings, but that just grew us further and further apart,” she added of their relationships with their sisters. “Because we weren’t sharing. They didn’t feel included.”

Now, however, Julianne revealed that they’re “close and moving through it.”

“And it’s like human nature, too. People are gonna have feelings, you know, and they can be happy for you, but at the same time feel like, ‘Oh.’”