How Nina Dobrev Responded to Zac Efron Dating Rumors After Her Split From Shaun White

THE RUNDOWN

• On October 1, Nina Dobrev addressed rumors that she’s dating Zac Efron, telling TMZ that they’re just friends.
• Last month, Dobrev and Efron were spotted vacationing together in Italy, alongside Chace Crawford, Miles Teller, and Keleigh Teller.
• The speculation followed her recent split from ex-fiancé Shaun White.

Nina Dobrev is setting the record straight. After photos of the Vampire Diaries alum vacationing with Zac Efron surfaced on September 20, fans speculated that the longtime friends had taken their relationship in a romantic direction. The rumors came more than a week after news broke that Dobrev and Shaun White ended their engagement and five-year romance.

But when asked by a TMZ reporter on October 1 if there was anything more than friendship between her and Efron, Dobrev laughed and shut it down. The reporter then asked if they were “just mates” to which Dobrev responded, “Yeah.” The actress also told the outlet that she’s focused on moving forward. “You know what? I’m excited for the future, and the only thing that’s guaranteed is change,” she said.

Chatter surrounding Dobrev and Efron picked up in September when the two attended crypto billionaire Brad Garlinghouse’s wedding in the south of France and were photographed with Chace Crawford, Miles Teller, and Keleigh Teller on a yacht in Italy.

But on September 22, Us Weekly reported that Dobrev and Efron’s connection is platonic. “Nina and Zac are not dating and have been good friends for over a decade,” a source told the outlet. “Their friends always joke that they should date, but that is not what is going on. They have been there for each other through many phases of life and have always had each other’s back.”

The clarification comes amid a new chapter for Dobrev. Last month, People confirmed she and White had quietly called off their engagement after the snowboarder proposed in October 2024. “Nina is devastated,” a source told Us Weekly at the time. “They had finally started planning the wedding, and things were in motion.”

It’s unclear what led to the breakup. On September 16, People reported that a source claimed Dobrev “wanted a family and wanted to get married—and he didn’t.” However, another insider told the outlet that they “both wanted marriage and children.”

The exes have not commented on why they ended their engagement, but a source told Us Weekly that Dobrev “has been leaning on her family and friends recently.” They added, “Everyone has been lifting her spirits, and she has been in a better place after taking some time away following her split from Shaun.”