Supportive spouse. Brooks Laich showered wife Julianne Hough with love and praise after she came out as “not straight” in a new interview.
“So proud of my wife @juleshough for the woman she is, and her courage to share her journey of trials and triumphs!” he wrote via Instagram on Thursday, August 1.
The former NHL player, 36, also encouraged fans to learn more about her journey and join her movement of “personal transformation and growth!”
“Love you so much babe!” he concluded.
The former Dancing With the Stars judge, 31, was appreciative of his words, commenting, “I love you babe! Thank you so much for your continued support through all of this!”
Earlier in the day, Hough made the bombshell revelation about her sexuality in the September 2019 cover piece for Women’s Health.
“I [told Brooks], ‘You know I’m not straight, right?’ And he was like, ‘I’m sorry, what?’” she said of her partner. “I was like, ‘I’m not. But I choose to be with you.’”
The Footloose actress admitted that being married has given her the courage to open up about her sexual preferences. “I think there’s a safety with my husband now that I’m unpacking all of this, and there’s no fear of voicing things that I’ve been afraid to admit or that I’ve had shame or guilt about because of what I’ve been told or how I was raised,” she explained.
The “That Song in My Head” singer confessed that though she had some initial doubts about baring her soul to her husband, it ultimately brought them closer. “I was connecting to the woman inside that doesn’t need anything, versus the little girl that looked to him to protect me. I was like, ‘Is he going to love this version of me?’” she recalled. “But the more I dropped into my most authentic self, the more attracted he was to me. Now we have a more intimate relationship.”
Laich was also OK with the fact that the multihyphenate didn’t take his last name after their July 2017 nuptials. “I’m surprised for myself now that it’s not an issue,” he said in a July 29 episode of his podcast, “How Men Think With Brooks Laich and Gavin DeGraw.”
He continued: “It will be interesting to see when we have kids. When we have children, I would want them to have my last name, our last name. I’m not going to make my wife change her last name if she doesn’t feel comfortable, but I don’t think that creates a division within our relationship.”
A source told Us Weekly in April that Laich’s understanding attitude is not atypical for the athlete. “Brooks is a huge support system for [Julianne] whenever she’s feeling anxious or depressed,” the insider revealed. “He’s the kindest man and so patient with her. He always has an intense look of love when they’re together. He looks at her like she’s the only person in the room.”
The emotionally in-tune pair, who are currently undergoing IVF, also connect physically: The podcast cohost made a NSFW confession on a July episode of the show about how excited he gets seeing Hough in intimate attire. “When you put lingerie on, I’m f–king fired up,” he shared. “I love it! Like, who doesn’t, but I love it. It means you’re thinking of me and you put something sexy on, and you look so beautiful and sexy. And I’m just like … I crave you.”
