What happened with Austin Butler and Vanessa Hudgens?

Austin Butler and Vanessa Hudgens were once a prominent Hollywood power couple. So why did the pair split up back in 2020?

Butler got his start playing TV roles for the likes of Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, before achieving greater fame in Sex and the City spinoff The Carrie Diaries. He’s since carved out a successful career on the big screen, with his performance in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis earning him an Oscar nomination.

Hudgens’ breakout performance was as Gabriella Montez in Disney’s High School Musical. She later reprised the part in two sequels, and her other film credits include Sucker Punch, Bad Boys for Life, and The Knight Before Christmas.

While Butler and Hudgens never shared the screen together, they nevertheless owe their eight-year relationship to work. The former couple were reportedly introduced to each other by Ashley Tisdale, who starred opposite Hudgens in the High School Musical trilogy and Butler in spinoff Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, respectively.

Austin Butler and Vanessa Hudgens breakup explained

Neither Austin Butler nor Vanessa Hudgens has publicly divulged the reason why they ended their relationship.

The closest the A-list exes’ admirers got to an official explanation was an interview Butler gave GQ in May 2022. “Life is full of changes,” he said. “You’ve got to find a way to constantly be evolving and growing.” Hudgens has remained even more tight-lipped regarding the break-up, although she hinted there was a juicy story to tell in a September 2022 interview with Nylon.

“I’ve… been through two very long life-changing relationships, and no one really knows what happened except for me,” she said. “When I write my memoir, it’ll be amazing.” While Hudgens didn’t explicitly name Butler here, the consensus among the star’s fans is that she was referring to him and former flame (and High School Musical co-star) Zac Efron.

At the same time, a source close to Butler and Hudgens previously told People that the separation was the result of their hectic careers, rather than anything salacious. “[B]usy work schedules and travel definitely put a strain on the relationship,” they explained. “They were a wonderful couple and it’s really sad that it didn’t work out.”

Yet despite claims of an amicable end to the Butler/Hudgens relationship, the one-time item made headlines in 2023 following an awkward encounter at Vanity Fair’s Oscars afterparty.

Who are Austin Butler and Vanessa Hudgens dating now?

Butler started dating actor and model Kaia Gerber in December 2021. Meanwhile, Hudgens began seeing MLB shortstop Cole Tucker that same year, and married him in December 2023.

Neither star has stayed still professionally, either. Butler has two high-profile projects due out in 2024: Dune: Part Two and Masters of the Air. He’s also headlining up Jeff Nichols’ drama The Bikeriders.

For her part, Hudgens’ next major release is Bad Boys 4. The action blockbuster is currently midway through principal photography and reunites Hudgens with her Bad Boys for Life co-stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.

That’s everything we know about why Austin Butler and Vanessa Hudgens split. Check out our other TV and movie coverage below:

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