Julianne Hough reflects on her time with Brooks Laich, acknowledging that their relationship did not have a happy ending.

The dancer and television personality opened up about her divorce from the former NHL player in Monday’s episode of the “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard” podcast.

“He has the most beautiful heart that I’ve ever had the chance to know,” Hough shared with host Dax Shepard.

Married in July 2017, Hough noted that their initial time as a couple coincided with difficult years in Laich’s hockey career.

“He suffered injuries and was traded away just before his long-term team finally won the Stanley Cup,” Hough revealed, visibly emotional. “It really makes me want to cry because I empathize with him so deeply.”

Even though they enjoyed the joy of marriage, Hough described 2017 as the beginning of a challenging period for their relationship.

Julianne Hough reflects on regrets shared by her and Brooks Laich regarding their split

In May 2020, Hough and Laich revealed their separation. Although they did not specify the reasons for their breakup, they expressed in a statement to People magazine that they “hold a great deal of love and respect for each other and will continue to lead with those feelings.”

During her appearance on “Armchair Expert,” Hough admitted that both she and Laich feel sadness about how things turned out.

“I feel like our relationship and marriage was just right, and so was the ending,” Hough expressed. “We both regret it not working out because we lacked the maturity to come together. While he was retracting, I was expanding. We just couldn’t connect.”

The “Footloose” actress described the aftermath of the separation as an “unraveling,” noting that her pets passed away shortly after they split.

“Everything I had built for my own safety and control was gone,” Hough shared. “I had this marriage with a man who felt like a father figure, and as he evolved, I was changing too. It turned everything upside down.”

Nevertheless, Hough mentioned that the breakup provided her with a chance to begin anew.

“I now have the opportunity to intentionally design and create a life that truly resonates with my soul,” Hough noted.