Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler’s nearly 9-year relationship ended in 2020, but there seems to be no residual resentment between them. The former couple sparked dating rumors in September 2011 after being photographed cuddling at Ashley Tisdale’s sister, Jennifer Tisdale’s, birthday bash. In the years that followed, we witnessed them consistently supporting each other at awards shows and movie premieres alike. The actors also managed to get some quality time in amid their packed schedules with frequent jet-setting off to scenic destinations.
However, it all seemingly came crashing down in late 2019 when eagle-eyed fans noticed that Hudgens and Butler had gradually stopped sharing photos of each other on social media. In January 2020, a source confirmed their breakup to People and sadly shared that the exes had considered getting engaged at one point. “They really loved each other and have been through some of their toughest life moments together,” the insider noted. “Busy work schedules and travel definitely put a strain on the relationship. They were a wonderful couple and it’s really sad that it didn’t work out.”
Some fans weren’t entirely convinced that things were as peachy as they seemed and even suggested that Butler had cheated on Hudgens with a co-star. The former couple certainly didn’t appear to be on good terms at the 2023 Oscars. A post-ceremony video showed the “High School Musical” star quickly glancing at her ex and looking at her phone as she walked past him without so much as a polite smile. And, in 2024, Hudgens asserted that she had no regrets about her breakup with Butler.
During a 2024 appearance on the “She Pivots” podcast, Vanessa Hudgens got candid about her high-profile split from fellow actor Austin Butler. “I feel like my last breakup has really catapulted me to a very, very special place, obviously,” she confirmed. “[The split] pushed me to the right person, which I’m so grateful for because he’s just the most supportive, real, understanding human being that I have ever met.” That high praise was, of course, for Hudgens’ hubby, Cole Tucker, with whom she shares a bigger age gap than we knew.
As for Butler, he also seems to harbor no ill will for his ex despite one questionable remark. During a 2023 “Hollywood Reporter Actors Roundtable,” the Oscar nominee recalled how a close companion encouraged him to take on the role of Elvis Presley after listening to him casually singing one of his Christmas hits. But we already knew that the well-wisher was Hudgens because the former Disney star told the story in a 2019 interview on “Live with Kelly & Ryan.”
Fans weren’t too happy that the “Dune: Part Two” actor had written off their serious relationship so casually. In a 2024 Esquire interview, Butler clarified that he wasn’t trying to minimize their love but rather attempting to protect her privacy. He elaborated that if he name-dropped her, the media would constantly bring him up while interviewing her, and he didn’t want her to feel pressured to talk about their former romance. “I have so much love and care for her,” he said.
