Julianne Hough is back on the market, and fans are wondering whether the dancer, 32, may be dating The Chronicles of Narnia star Ben Barnes, 39. The pair were spotted grabbing an ice cream together at Salt & Straw in Los Angeles on January 28 — you can see all the photos here. After leaving the store, the pair walked back to their car in the parking lot, and were all smiles as they chatted and laughed. The actress cut a casual figure in an all black ensemble, including leggings and a fluffy jacket. Her companion also wore sporty attire, including leggings, gym shorts and a grey jacket. Although neither have addressed the dating rumors, it’s believed the pair have been friends for some time.
These photos come just two months after the Dancing With the Stars champion officially filed for divorce from her ex Brooks Laich. Despite the split, a source close to the couple told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY that the former professional hockey player, 37, will remain friends with Julianne. “This has been an emotional rollercoaster for Brooks but he’s very strong and he’s doing good,” the source explained.
“He doesn’t have any regrets about trying things one more time with Julianne but of course he’s sad it just didn’t work. But he accepts that this what is meant to be, they are just at different places in their lives and he doesn’t fault her one bit for that. And they’re going to stay friends, that will never change.”
Julianne and Brooks were married in 2017, however announced their separation with a joint statement in May 2020. “We have lovingly and carefully taken the time we have needed to arrive at our decision to separate,” they said at the time. The news didn’t come as a major surprise to fans, who noticed the pair had been quarantining apart amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: Brooks was staying at his property in Idaho, while Julianne was at their home in Los Angeles.