Nina Dobrev Addresses Zac Efron Dating Rumors After Shaun White Breakup
Is Nina Dobrev ready to be all in this together with Zac Efron?
Shortly after it was revealed that the Vampire Diaries alum and Shaun White had ended their relationship after five years, Nina was seen vacationing alongside Zac and their friends Miles Teller, Keleigh Teller and Chace Crawford.
And while the trip sparked romance rumors between her and Zac, 37, Nina denied that it was the start of something new for the pair, shaking her head “No” when asked by TMZ in a video posted Oct. 1 if they were dating.
Additionally, when asked if she and the High School Musical alum were just friends, she replied, “Yeah.”
Indeed, the 36-year-old is keeping her focus on herself, telling the outlet, “I’m excited for the future and the only thing that’s guaranteed is change.”
Days before Nina and Shaun’s breakup was confirmed, the actress raised some eyebrows by sharing a cryptic TikTok where she lip-synced to a video about other women trying to “fix” a man.
“How do you sleep at night knowing people don’t like you?” Nina mouthed to an audio in the Sept. 5 video. “With no underwear, in case they wanna kiss my ass.”
She continued, “What’s your advice for women trying to fix their man? Listen, Bob the Builder, he’s got 10 other women trying to fix him too, and you all look like a damn construction crew.”
Robin Marchant/WireImage; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Two days later, Nina attended the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of the film Eternity without the 5-carat diamond engagement ring Shaun, 39, had given her during their candlelight proposal.
And while Nina never confirmed or denied if her cryptic message was about Shaun, a source told People after news broke about their split Sept. 11 that their breakup was a “mutual decision,” adding that it “wasn’t an easy one, but it was made with love and a deep respect for one another.”
Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Amex x Carbone Beach)
As for how far along they’d gotten in wedding planning? Nina—who announced her engagement to Shaun in October 2024—previously shared that the couple wasn’t in any hurry to walk down the aisle.
“I really want to enjoy it,” she told E! News in March, “and not rush that process.”
Nina added, “We’re just enjoying being engaged at this point and being in that sort of phase because a lot of your life is—you have a boyfriend for half of your life and then you have a husband for half of your life, but the fiancé period is very short.”
Plus, as Nina gushed, “It’s so fun to say fiancé.”
For a look back at Nina and Shaun’s time together, keep reading.
January 2020: Happy New Year…
Dobrev and White hit it off after they partied together with friends, including her Vampire Diaries co-stars Kayla Ewell and Candice Accola King, at the opening of the Bellagio Resort & Casino’s new supper club The Mayfair in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve.
A year later, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Dobrev would share this photo of her and White at the bash, as well as a video of him lifting her up Dirty Dancing-style only to have them both topple into the snow. She wrote, “How we thought 2020 would go…how it actually went.”
George Pimentel/Getty Images; John Salangsang/Shutterstock
March 2020: Romantic Bike Ride
Dobrev and White spark romance rumors after they are spotted riding bikes together in Malibu, Calif. A source tells E! News that the two began to “ease into a relationship” after spending New Year’s Eve together, adding that things “really accelerated” between the two after the coronavirus pandemic broke out.
“After spending weeks together during quarantine,” the source says, “Nina and Shaun have made it clear to their friends that they are a serious couple.”
Nina Dobrev / Instagram
May 2020: Snip Snip
The two make their relationship Instagram official when both share a photo of the actress trimming White’s red hair. Most hair salons closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Under her post, Dobrev writes, “Adding to resume: hairdresser.”
Instagram / Shaun White
November 2020: Happy Thanksgiving
Dobrev and White celebrate Thanksgiving with his family, as seen in photos he posts on Instagram.
Instagram / Shaun White
December 2020: Road Trip!
Judging from their Instagrams, Dobrev and White vacationed together in the Zion National Park area in Utah twice in 2020, in May and in December.
December 2020: Happy Holidays
Nina Dobrev/Instagram
December 2020: “So In Love”
Just before New Year’s Eve, another source tells E! News that the two “are genuinely so in love.”
“They openly talk about their future together,” the insider continued. “They’re just super happy, and things are going really well with them.”
January 2021: Happy Birthday, Nina… Again!
Dobrev celebrated a “redo” of her 31st birthday on her 32rd and White paid tribute to her with photos of the two sporting these looks.
October 2021: Check Mate
Alonside pal Adam DeVine, the couple dressed up as characters from The Queen’s Gambit for Halloween with White going as as the iconic Beth Harmon and Dobrev channelling U.S. chess champion, Benny Watts.
January 2022: Snow Bunnies
Dobrev hit the slopes with her pro snowboarder love at Copper Mountain in Colorado.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
February 2022: Last Olympics
After White finished fourth in the Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe at the 2022 Olympics and officially retired from competing, Dobrev expressed how proud she was of him.
“The end of one chapter, means the beginning of an exciting new one with endless possibilities,” she wrote in part of an Instagram post. “You will forever be the G.O.A.T. of snowboarding. Not to mention you are also the G.(B).O.A.T. = Greatest Boyfriend Of All Time.”
James Veysey/Shutterstock
May 2022: Red Carpet Debut
The couple finally went red carpet official at the Top Gun: Maverick film premiere in London.
May 2022: Red Hot Romance
Alongside her tux-clad boyfriend, Dobrev sizzled in a red Monot gown at the 28th annual amfAR Gala during the 75th Cannes Film Festival.
Pascal Le Segretain/WireImage
May 2022: Hearts Racing
The pair watched the qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco ahead of the big race. For the occasion, Dobrev looked wore a chic, chalk-colored suit by Smythe.
June 2022: Fun in the Sun
The two turned up the heat while vacationing in the Maldives.
September 2022: Birthday Boy
“I really picked a winner [ and he really picked a booger ],” Dobrev wrote in an Instagram tribute for White’s 36th birthday. “Happy belated Birthday you weirdo. My weirdo. @shaunwhite.”
TikTok
October 2022: Degrassi Days
What did White really think of Dobrev’s cheerleading scene from Degrassi: The Next Generation? The athlete gave his reaction on TikTok and proved once again they’re always on each other’s squads.
December 2022: Family Time
The duo celebrated the holidays with a family trip to Mexico.
January 2023: An Out-of-This-World Tribute
“What planet are you from and will you take me with you?!” White wrote on Instagram for Dobrev’s 34th birthday during their trip to Antarctica. “Thanks for making life incredible! Happy birthday my love.”
February 2023: Valentine’s Day
“Life is a roller coaster with you,” the actress wrote on Valentine’s Day 2023. “It goes from serious to baby birding in seconds … thank you for always making me smile. happy valentine’s day @shaunwhite.”
January 2024: Sweet Shout-Out
“Life with you has been my greatest adventure!!” White wrote on Instagram for Dobrev’s 35th birthday. “Happy birthday my love!!”
MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images
March 2024: Oscars Night
The duo looked so sharp at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party they deserve their own trophy.
Instagram / Nina Dobrev
July 2024: Happy Independence Day
The two celebrated the Fourth of July with several celebrity friends, including Miles Teller and Keleigh Teller and Usher.
Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images
October 2024: Engaged
Shaun and Nina announced their engagement Oct. 30, 2024. A week later, they walked their first red carpet as an engaged couple, at the 2024 Earthshot Prize Awards in Cape Town, South Africa.
Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Amex x Carbone Beach)
September 2025: Split
It was confirmed on September 11, 2025 that the couple had called off their engagement and broken up after five years together.
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