The hit TV show Dancing with the Stars celebrated its 20th anniversary and in honor of it, Julianne Hough shared nostalgic then-and-now pictures that make us wonder how the time passed by so fast. The professional dancer and co-host posted a picture of herself on the show's fourth season from "18 years ago," when she was 19 years old. The bombshell blond looked unrecognizable with her volumized golden locks with side curtain bangs at the time.
She also added a recent picture of herself during season 34, now at 37 years old and rocking a short pixie cut with a gelled-down side part. The overlaid text read: "Baby Jules has come far…Happy 20th Birthday DWTS." The star made a huge name for herself through the show ever since she first joined back in 2007 as a professional dancer alongside her celebrity dance partner Apolo Anton Ohno. Together they won that season, with Julianne winning the following season and her second Mirrorball Trophy as well with Hélio Castraneves. She went on to become a guest judge, then a permanent host and eventually a co-host.
It's been a long time coming and Julianne reflected on her personal growth thanks to the hit show. She shared: "The early days were all about discovery — it was my first time on TV, and I was a pro dancer just trying to figure it all out. Now, nearly 18 years later, it feels like I've grown up on this show. I'm not the new kid anymore; I'm more of a big sister… or 'mama,' as I like to joke," per Variety.
Now as a co-host of the show, she's consciously passing the baton to the TV series' newest contestants and revealed: "I'm here to hold space for the dancers, the celebrities, and even the audience — so they can relax and be their most authentic selves. It's about legacy and nurturing now, not proving anything."
Besides the popular show, Julianne has appeared in rom-coms, thrillers, and musicals. She is also making a splash in the upcoming movie The Bride, which she found both challenging yet transformative. She shared: "Honestly, it was a dream. The moment I read for it, I had to get it. Maggie is such a rich, detail-oriented director, and working alongside people like Christian Bale, Jake Gyllenhaal and Bobby Jean Smith was mind-blowing. The style, the sound, the movement — it's going to be uncomfortable in the best way."
And Julianne is feeling energized and is just getting started. She added: "The Golden Age of Hollywood is really my genre, not just for nostalgia, but because I want to reimagine it. Bring that glamour and talent-forward energy, but shift the outdated narratives. I'm all about that triple-threat vibe — singing, dancing, acting. Let's go!" When asked by Variety, what “the Julianne Hough of 10 years ago would be shocked to know," she responded: "[I] am hungrier than I've ever been." We're looking forward to Julianne's next projects and look forward to her next then-and-now pictures for decades to come.