Nina Dobrev has finally addressed the swirling rumors regarding a possible romance with Zac Efron following her recent breakup with Shaun White.
During an interview with TMZ on October 1, Dobrev, 36, was questioned about Efron, 37, after images surfaced last month showing the two sharing what appeared to be an intimate vacation. These photos emerged just a week after news broke about Dobrev’s split from White, 39, after a five-year relationship.
“Is there anything to the rumors about you and Zac Efron?” asked a TMZ reporter. Dobrev quickly shook her head, denying any romantic involvement.
“So you’re just friends?” the reporter probed. “Yeah,” she confirmed.
The actress then elaborated on the challenges of navigating a public breakup, expressing her optimism. “You know what? I’m excited about what the future holds; change is the only constant,” she remarked.
Speculation regarding Dobrev and Efron’s relationship intensified after they were seen together in Europe during several recent appearances, including attending the wedding of crypto mogul Brad Garlinghouse in the South of France on September 20, where they appeared individually on mutual friend Keleigh Teller’s social media posts from the event.
Furthermore, over the same weekend, Dobrev and Efron were photographed on a yacht, accompanied by friends including Chase Crawford and Keleigh, according to images released by Deux Moi.
Photos captured on September 18 by The Daily Mail showing Dobrev and Efron frolicking in the Italian sea further fanned the flames of speculation regarding a romantic connection.
However, despite the enthusiastic conjecture, a source has clarified to Us Weekly that the pair are not romantically involved, asserting their relationship remains strictly platonic. “Nina and Zac are not dating; they’ve been good friends for over ten years. Their friends often tease them about dating, but that’s not the case. They’ve supported each other through various life stages and continue to do so,” the insider shared.
It was reported in September that Dobrev and White had called off their engagement, which had been in the works for five years. Dobrev and White’s relationship had garnered attention since it began in February 2020, with Us breaking the news of their official status two months later.
White had proposed to Dobrev with a dazzling five-carat engagement ring from designer Lorraine Schwartz at The Golden Swan in New York City in October 2024. However, sources indicate that Dobrev is heartbroken over the end of their relationship, as they had just begun planning their wedding.
An insider confided, “Nina is devastated; they were so close to starting the next chapter of their lives together.”
In an interview with Us back in October 2021, White discussed their then-long-distance relationship: “We have a solid system to stay connected. I’m always looking for opportunities to see her.” He added that the key to their success was prioritizing time together, emphasizing Dobrev’s organizational skills in keeping their schedules aligned.
