Nina Dobrev and Zac Efron reportedly not dating despite rumors stemming from viral vacation photos

Speculation about Nina Dobrev and Zac Efron picked up after photos surfaced from a yacht trip in Italy. The pair were seen laughing and appearing close, sparking dating rumors. Though, as per reports by Us Weekly, that's not the case, according to people close to them.

“Nina and Zac are not dating and have been good friends for over a decade, 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,” shared a source.

The insider also pointed out that Dobrev had only recently come out of a breakup with Shaun White.

“[She] has truly felt a lot of love and support, everyone has been lifting her spirits and she has been in a better place after taking some time away following her split from Shaun,” the source said.

Even so, the yacht images led many to assume she was leaning on Efron, sparking assumptions about a romantic connection. Another source told the Daily Mail that the rumors were false:

“Zac and Nina might be hanging out on a yacht, having fun, getting along but they aren’t dating, they aren’t looking to get together, so the rumors of something more just don’t currently exist.”

The same source went further, stressing that Dobrev was focused on enjoying herself post-breakup.

“Nina is looking to unwind and just have fun and deal with life post break up, but that doesn’t mean she is going to land in Zac’s arms. Zac is a nice guy, and they are friendly and that is all that it is, don’t get your Dofron relationship nicknames out just yet.”

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Shaun White and Nina Dobrev end engagement after five years together:

Shaun White and Nina Dobrev called off their engagement, ending their relationship after five years together. The split was reported by People on September 11, 2025. The outlet confirmed the news through a source close to the couple, who said:

“It was a mutual decision, and wasn’t an easy one, but it was made with love and a deep respect for one another.”

The snowboarder and the Vampire Diaries actress were last seen together on August 31 in Los Angeles, holding hands while running errands. Less than a week later, Nina Dobrev walked the red carpet at the Eternity premiere during the Toronto International Film Festival, noticeably without her five-carat diamond ring. She also removed her engagement announcement, which had been pinned to the top of her Instagram since White's proposal in October 2024.

White and Dobrev’s history stretched back more than a decade. They first crossed paths briefly at an awards show in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2019, when both appeared as speakers at a Tony Robbins event in Florida, that they connected. Reflecting on that dinner, White told People in 2022 that he “actually didn’t know anything about [Dobrev]” at the time, though he noticed her popularity when staff members requested photos.

“And I was like, ‘What’s happening? What’s going on?’ It was actually really funny,” he recalled.

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Nina Dobrev dropped a cryptic TikTok days before Shaun White split news:

Fans thought they spotted hints of trouble in Nina Dobrev's TikTok days before her split from Shaun White became public. The actress uploaded a clip where she lip-synced to audio about “fixing” men. Dressed in a black Nike hoodie, Nina Dobrev mouthed along as the recording started:

“How do you sleep at night knowing people don't like you?”

The punchline came quickly:

“With no underwear, in case they wanna kiss my ass.”

The audio went on:

“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.”

Fans soon connected the dots when, on September 5, Nina Dobrev appeared solo at the Eternity premiere during TIFF, as her engagement ring was missing, and White was nowhere in sight.

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Zac Efron’s platinum hair makes a splash during boat day with star-studded crew:

Zac Efron went blond, and fans spotted the change thanks to Keleigh Teller's Instagram. The model, who is married to Miles Teller, uploaded a carousel of photos in September showing a boat day with friends. Among the crew were Nina Dobrev, Chace Crawford, and Zac Efron, rocking platinum hair.

In one playful photo, the actor pulled a pucker face at the camera. Another showed him strapped into a life vest, balancing on a board in sparkling blue water, his blond hair impossible to miss. By the time the sun set, Efron had swapped the look for a backwards baseball cap, seen grinning with the guys. Teller's only caption? A string of emojis: a letter, sun, spaghetti, and wave.