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Julianne Hough Is ‘Not in a Good Place’ After Brooks Laich Split (Exclusive)

Trying times. Julianne Hough is going through a rough patch following her split from her estranged husband, Brooks Laich — and it’s even reflected in her new darker hair color.

Related: Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich: The Way They Were

“Julianne asked for a maple brown color for her hair and wanted a look that was muted to match with how she’s feeling right now,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “She doesn’t want to be noticed or do press right now or get photographed. She’s not in a good place. She wants people to look at her and feel empathetic toward her.”

The Dancing With the Stars alum, 31, debuted her darker locks earlier this month just days after she and Laich, 37, announced their separation following nearly three years of marriage.

Julianne Hough Is Not in a Good Place After Brooks Laich Split
Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich. Shutterstock (2)

“We have lovingly and carefully taken the time we have needed to arrive at our decision to separate,” the pair — who tied the knot in July 2017 — wrote in a joint statement on May 29. “We share an abundance of love and respect for one another and will continue to lead with our hearts from that place. We kindly request your compassion and respect for our privacy moving forward.”

Related: Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich: Signs They Were Headed for Split

Us broke the news in January that the couple were “having problems” in their marriage after Hough was spotted multiple times without her wedding ring. In December 2019, the former hockey player hinted at their marriage troubles when he shared that he hoped to explore a “new stage” of his life in 2020.

A source told Us in May that the duo’s separation wasn’t a surprise for their friends and family. “Julianne and Brooks’ split was a long time coming,” the insider said at the time. “They argued a lot and just had different viewpoints on important issues. There’s still a love there, but not in a romantic sense.”

Julianne Hough Is Not in a Good Place After Brooks Laich Split
Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich Jim Smeal/Shutterstock

Related: Celebrity Splits of 2020

The Footloose star has sought comfort from actor Ben Barnes — whom she was first spotted with in April — amid their split. “She had been spending a lot of time with Ben Barnes and has been leaning on him,” an insider told Us. “She told Brooks it was nothing, but it’s not.”

The source noted that Laich, for his part, “doesn’t have anyone new in his life right now romantically speaking.”

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