Derek Hough Says Sister Julianne Is the 'Best Aunt' to His Baby Daughter: 'My Girl Is Gonna Get Spoiled' (Exclusive)
Derek Hough Says Sister Julianne Is the 'Best Aunt' to His Baby Daughter: 'My Girl Is Gonna Get Spoiled' (Exclusive)
Toria Sheffield, Deirdre DurkanSun, May 3, 2026 at 8:45 PM UTC
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Derek Hough; Julianne HoughCredit: Monica Schipper/Getty; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty -
Derek Hough said his sister Julianne Hough is already shaping up to be the “best aunt” to his infant daughter, Everley
The new dad called parenthood “the pinnacle,” sharing that his priorities have shifted since welcoming his first baby with wife Hayley Erbert Hough in December 2025
The couple's joyful milestone follows a difficult few years, including a miscarriage, serious health scare and recovery journey, which Derek said makes parenthood even more meaningful
New dad Derek Hough is revealing what his sister Julianne Hough is like as an aunt.
Derek caught up with PEOPLE exclusively at Disney's Toast to Television Red Carpet in Los Angeles on April 27. During the conversation, the dancer and choreographer, 40, shared that it's been “amazing” watching Julianne, 37, become an aunt to his baby daughter, Everley.
“I mean, she's gonna be the best aunt in the world. My girl's gonna get spoiled — that's for sure — from Aunt Julianne. That's for sure,” he said.
Julianne Hough attends 'The Bride!' New York premiere at Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center in N.Y.C. on March 3, 2026Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty
Derek and his wife, Hayley Erbert Hough, welcomed Everley on Dec. 29, 2025.
Derek called dad life “the best” while speaking with PEOPLE at the Disney event, sharing that parenthood is now his No. 1 priority.
“You know, being in the industry, you wanna do great in your career and be at the top of the game and do this, achieve this,” he said. “But being a dad now — that's the pinnacle. That's the top. Everything else is now just a bonus, you know what I mean? That is the echelon right there.”
Derek Hough with baby daughter EverleyCredit: Derek Hough/Instagram
Derek has previously opened up about how becoming a dad profoundly changed him as a human.
While speaking to PEOPLE during his and Hayley's January PEOPLE cover shoot, the host recalled his first-ever outing as a dad to the 2026 Golden Globes.
“Everybody was asking me, 'You going to the afterparties?' ” he recalled. “I remember saying it out loud for the first time: ‘No, no. I'm going straight home to my daughter … and now I got to go because I'm about to cry.' ”
Everley's birth marked a long-awaited period of joy for Derek and Hayley, 31 — a former Dancing with the Stars troupe member.
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Derek Hough, Hayley Erbert Hough and their daughter, EverleyCredit: Derek Hough/Instagram
In 2022, the couple was involved in a serious car accident that required Hayley to get four stitches on her forehead.
A year later, Hayley was rushed to the hospital mid-performance on their Symphony of Dance tour and nearly lost her life after a burst blood vessel caused a brain bleed. She had to have about 40% of her skull removed to relieve the pressure and later underwent a second surgery for a skull implant.
Around the same time the following year, Hayley had a miscarriage.
“She's been through so much,” Derek said of his wife during the PEOPLE cover shoot.
“To see her go from where she was to now, giving birth, is amazing. My daughter has a great example here,” he added.
“We've had so many moments in life that are not as great,” Hayley added during the interview. “So she's our rainbow after the storm.”
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As for whether Derek hopes Everley will dance someday?
“Dance is so good for anybody, even if they don't want to become a dancer — for discipline, for community, for awareness of your body, for control. I recommend it to every single human being on this planet,” he said at the Disney event.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
