Danny Amendola Gets Flirty With Julianne Hough During 'DWTS' Finale

Julianne Hough had a playful response when former NFL star Danny Amendola flirted with her during Tuesday’s "Dancing With the Stars" season finale.

Hough recently revealed that she is single and open to meeting a new partner, two years after finalizing her divorce from ex-husband Brooks Laich. Meanwhile, Amendola, who previously dated Olivia Culpo for three years before their 2018 split, was most recently romantically linked to TikToker Xandra Pohl.

However, Danny Amendola referred to her as "a great friend" back in September, leaving his current relationship status unclear.

Following Amendola’s freestyle routine with his partner, Witney Carson, the pair—dressed as Ken and Barbie—joined Hough on a large prop bed to receive their scores. As they settled in, the 36-year-old co-host casually asked, “How is it dancing as Ken?” to which Amendola cheekily replied, “I think the real question, Julianne, is why are you in my bed?”

While Carson quickly looked away in surprise, Hough didn’t miss a beat, responding with a teasing, “Is that an invitation?” before smoothly shifting back to the business at hand, “Let’s get your scores!”

The scene quickly shifted to the judges' panel, where Carrie Ann Inaba awarded the pair a 9 as Danny and Julianne shared a moment, holding hands. However, the score reveal was briefly delayed when Derek Hough raised his hand in confusion, playfully asking, "What's happening?!" His fellow judges quickly reminded him to share his score, prompting Derek to flash a 10 and, in a nod to Ryan Gosling's portrayal of Ken in the Barbie movie, exclaim, "You are Kenough!"

While the moment was quickly brushed aside, there could be a future duet in the works for the former DWTS pro and the retired NFL star.

Julianne Hough has been making it clear that she’s single and ready to mingle, using her platform as a "DWTS" cohost to share her current relationship status.

Following her surprise performance to the viral TikTok song "Man in Finance" during the November 19 episode, her cohost, Alfonso Ribeiro, couldn’t help but acknowledge her dancing skills. He remarked that it was great to see Julianne out on the floor with fellow pros Sasha Farber, Val Chmerkovskiy, and Pasha Pashkov, enjoying the moment and showcasing her moves.

“Yeah, the guys. Well, you know, I am single and I’m looking for a guy anywhere I can find one,” she quipped. Ribeiro decided to have fun with that response by adding, “If you’d like a date, text Julianne’s first name. Message and data rates may apply.”

In a 2019 interview with Women’s Health, Julianne Hough opened up about her sexuality, sharing details of a conversation she had with her then-husband, Brooks Laich. During the discussion, Hough explored her feelings and identity, reflecting on her journey of self-discovery.

“I (told him), ‘You know I’m not straight, right?’ And he was like, ‘I’m sorry, what?’ I was like, ‘I’m not. But I choose to be with you,’” she said at the time. “I think there’s a safety with my husband now that I’m unpacking all of this, and there’s no fear of voicing things that I’ve been afraid to admit or that I’ve had shame or guilt about because of what I’ve been told or how I was raised."

Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich were married in 2017, but after five years together, they finalized their divorce in 2022.

During a recent appearance on the "Jamie Kern Lima" podcast, Julianne Hough discussed her personal journey of realizing that she is "not straight."

She explained, “Coming out is one of the most vulnerable and empowering things you can do. For me, it’s not about being straight, gay, or queer; it’s more about learning what love is, and I love people,” according to Us Weekly.

Hough, a former "Dancing With the Stars" pro turned host, also shared that she initially struggled with understanding her attractions but chose to stay with her then-husband, Brooks Laich, during that period of self-discovery.

“That is the freedom of the love that I was starting to experience in seeing people because I was able to take off a level of protection instead of being so internalized,” she said on the podcast. “So, I was starting to see people and seeing their hearts and seeing their beauty and their essence. I was like, ‘Wow, I love people and I don’t know if it’s a sexual attraction or this attraction, but I’m just seeing people.’ That was, like, such a beautiful revelation.”