Crush Girl of the Week – Julianne Hough

This week’s Crush Girl of the Week, could possibly be the most talented one of the bunch? Maybe, but she does do a lot (dance, sing, and act) and amazingly does all 3 pretty well. Who is this uber-talented women, well it’s Julianne Hough and she’s this week chosen…

Quick Bio

• Birthday: July 20th
• Birthplace: Sandy, Utah
• Parents: Bruce Robert (former Chairman of Utah Republican Party) and Mari Anne
• Siblings: Derek (also a pro dancer/Dancing with the Stars), Sharee, Marabeth, Katherine (all older)
• Notable Schooling: Center Stage Performing Arts Studio in Orem (for dance), Italia Contri Acadmey (for dance), Las Vegas Academy (specialty school for arts), Park City High School, Alta High School (where she finally graudates from)

Dance Career

• She started training for dancing young and started her competitive career at the age of 9
• When she was twelve, she was apart of the dance trio 2B1G along with her brother Derek and their friend Mark Ballas Jr.
• At 15, she would be the youngest American to become Junior World Latin Dance Champion and International Latin Youth Champion
• Her official TV debut came in 2006 as a background dancer for the game show Show Me the Money
• The show she’s most famous for Dancing with the Stars, it would be in the 4th season should be appear as a pro along with Apollo Anton Ohno and then win that competition in her debut season
• She would go on to win the next season with pro-driver Helio Castroneves, 9th place with Adam Carolla, 4th place with Cody Linley, 6th place with Chuck Wicks, and she hasn’t appeared for the last 2 seasons

Singing Career

• Julianne’s country music career started with a recording single “Will You Dance With Me” which was released in 2007 to raise money for the Red Cross, this would lead to her being signed by UMG Nashville
• Her self-titled album debuted  in 2008 to mixed reviews but topped the country charts and reached #3 on the Billboard album charts
• Later that year she would release a holiday album titledSounds of the Season: The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection, which also sucessfully reached #2 on country charts
• 2009, she was nominated for various Best New Country Artist awards in which she won 2 of them at the Academy of Country Music Awards
• She is wrapping up production of her new album,Wildfire, set for release in 2012, with a preview single “Is That So Wrong” out earlier this summer

Acting Career

• Even before her TV appearances, she had a film role in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, an uncredited role as a Hogwarts student extra
• Her true film debut came in 2010 musical film Burlesque alongside Cher and Christina Aguilera, she plays Georgia

Random Factoids

• A nickname of her is Jules
• Had her appendix removed in 2008 and had to leave Dancing with the Stars near the end of that season
• She already has 13 nieces and nephews
• She was engaged to dancer Zack Wilson at 18 but broke that off, then dated actor Kevin Connolly, her DWTS partner Chuck Wicks, and is currently with Ryan Seacrest
• Maxim’s Hot 100 rankings – #30 in ’08, #25 in ’09, #45 in ’10, #48 in ’11
• She doesn’t drink or smoke
• She help choreograph Gwen Stefani’s “Wind it Up” music video
• She has 2 fitness DVDs Cardio Ballroom and Just Dance!

Coming Soon to…

• Her new album Wildfire is still set for release sometime in 2012
• She will appear in the remake of Footloose as the love interest (theaters, Oct. 14, 2011)
• She will also be the love interest in the film adaptation of the musical Rock of Ages (theaters, Jul. 1, 2012)

The Gallery