Julianne Hough Reunites with Ex Brooks Laich and Expectant Fiancée for Sunny Lake Day
Real talk – celebs and their exes making friendship goals is officially our new favorite trend. Julianne Hough, 36, casually posted an Instagram Story on July 11 showing her enjoying a laid-back day on the water with her ex-husband Brooks Laich and his fiancée Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir, who is expecting the couple’s first child. The snapshot captures Hough kneeling on the back of a boat, pointing at Katrín’s growing baby bump with a beaming grin and captioning it “Special day on the lake with these three cuties.”
This warm reunion comes five years after Hough and former NHL player Laich announced their separation in 2020 and follows the legal finalization of their divorce in 2022. Since then, the Dancing With the Stars co-host has made it clear she holds no hard feelings. Last December, she even chimed in on Brooks and Katrín’s engagement post, writing, “Congratulations. I’m so happy for you both as you step into this beautiful new chapter together. Wishing you both a lifetime of love, laughter, and endless adventures.” That heartfelt message didn’t go unnoticed by fans or friends, and it set the tone for this latest lakeside hangout.
Videos shared by Hough also show her and Katrín wakesurfing side by side, while Laich takes turns cheering them on. A group selfie including Hough’s brother Derek Hough rounds out the day, all smiles and sun-kissed skin. This snapshot of camaraderie illustrates just how far the ex-couple has come—from a high-profile split to effortlessly co-existing in each other’s milestone moments.
In a September episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast, Hough opened up about a chance encounter with Brooks and Katrín at a wedding earlier this year. Reflecting on that meeting, she said, “I’m in this place where I now feel like I’m beginning with so much wisdom, with so much insight, with so much empathy and understanding of what’s possible. I’ve never felt more stable, more secure, more consistent, more loved by the people around me than I do right now. I’m like, ‘Wow, I really have such a clean slate.’”
This isn’t an isolated case of cordial celebrity ex-relations. Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel have fun jabs on his talk show, while Anna Faris and Chris Pratt remain supportive co-parents. HGTV stars Tarek El Moussa and Christina Hall still collaborate on real estate projects, and Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet parent Zoe Kravitz in harmony. Yet Hough and Laich’s lakeside reunion feels particularly fresh, highlighting a modern approach to ending a marriage—one defined by respect, genuine friendship, and maybe a paddle board or two.
If nothing else, this sun-soaked gathering reminds us that post-breakup bliss is possible. Keep an eye on your own calendar—you never know when you might be pointing at someone’s baby bump from the stern of a boat. Anyway, that is the vibe. Take it or leave it.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, The Jamie Kern Lima Show Podcast
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
