Vanessa Hudgens' Star-Studded Relationship History

In addition to maintaining a strong Hollywood presence since the early 2000s, Vanessa Hudgens has consistently made headlines thanks to her star-studded relationships. Whether it's with fellow actors like Zac Efron and Josh Hutcherson or professional athletes such as Kyle Kuzma and Cole Tucker, Hudgens appears to have a penchant for dating high-profile individuals. However, despite her list of exclusively famous ex-lovers, Hudgens insists on being a down-to-earth person. 

In a 2020 interview with Entertainment Tonight, the actor asserted, "I feel like at the end of the day, it's just about having similar fundamentals and wanting the same things." Speaking to Nylon in 2022, Hudgens shared her thoughts on love again, this time from the perspective of being famous. "The public only sees so much. I've been through two very long, life-changing relationships, and no one really knows what happened except for me," she explained. 

Given the "High School Musical" star's relationship history, she was most likely referring to her relationships with Zac Efron, whom she dated from 2005 to 2010, and Austin Butler, who was Hudgens' boyfriend from 2011 to 2020. Despite the challenges of love in the public sphere, Hudgens never lost her zest for romance. Before she reportedly married baseball player Tucker in 2023, the actor experienced a series of confirmed and rumored relationships.

Vanessa Hudgens gained widespread attention for her high-profile romance with "High School Musical" co-star Zac Efron, which lasted for five years, from 2005 to 2010. The former couple met while auditioning for their respective roles in the Disney production, which Hudgens reminisced about in a 2019 interview on The Hollywood Reporter's "Awards Chatter" podcast. "We created a bond right from the start," she confirmed. "We were like, 'We're doing this; it's us or nothing.'"

Despite the global frenzy surrounding the hit musical and Hudgens and Efron's status as the It couple of the time, the co-stars mostly kept their relationship to themselves. Naturally, they sparked engagement rumors throughout their time together, but Hudgens quickly shot them down. "I think [marriage and starting a family] is great, but I'm so focused on my career right now that it doesn't really cross my mind," the star informed People in 2009. 

Still, the following year, Hudgens gushed to Glamour, "I think that we inspire each other. [I love] having someone to grow with." However, it was also in 2010 that the couple decided to part ways amicably, with a source revealing to E! News, "They were together for so long. It just ran its course." Despite the breakup, the actors remain on seemingly good terms. According to the Daily Mail, Efron even re-followed Hudgens on Instagram in April 2023.

After her highly publicized relationship and equally widely covered split from Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens reportedly had a brief dalliance with another co-star, Josh Hutcherson. The actors appeared in "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," the 2012 sequel to the 2008 family film "Journey to the Center of the Earth." In early 2011, Hutcherson accompanied Hudgens to the premiere of her movie "Beastly," and the two were spotted being tactile with each other at the afterparty. 

"Their arms were wrapped around each other, and they were really touchy together," a source told People (via Digital Spy). Just a short while later, the famous pair was again caught holding hands and embracing each other, suggesting they were on a date, per the Daily Mail. Despite their apparent romantic connection, Hutcherson and Hudgens never officially stepped out as a couple. 

However, during a 2012 appearance on "Today," to promote "Journey 2," things turned awkward for the co-stars when the host asked about the duration of their relationship. After exchanging confused looks, Hutcherson clarified, "We're not. We were at one point," adding, "That was a while ago. We're just really good friends now." Yikes. As the two never officially debuted their romance, it's unclear when and why they decided to end it.

Vanessa Hudgens' longest relationship was with Austin Butler, the Oscar-nominated star of "Elvis." The former couple reportedly met on the set of "High School Musical," but nothing came of it as Hudgens was dating Zac Efron at the time. However, fate brought them back together six years later through Ashley Tisdale, who is a mutual friend, as People reported. Hudgens and Butler made their first public appearance as a couple in February 2012 at the premiere of Hudgens' movie "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island."

They made their relationship Instagram official in 2014 when Hudgens shared a heartfelt post in honor of Butler's 23rd birthday, even calling him her soulmate. Three years later, she opened up to People about what kept their relationship alive amid busy work schedules. "Just communication; communication is key," Hudgens said, elaborating, "I think that if anything's bothering you, don't hold it in." In 2019, Butler gushed about Hudgens, telling E! News, "I am so inspired by her every day, and I just love her to my core."

Surprisingly, just a few months later, Hudgens and Butler decided to call it quits for good. After not spending the Christmas holidays together in 2019, official confirmation of their split surfaced in January 2020. A source shared with E! News that work-related distance ultimately broke them up, adding, "There is no bad blood at all, and they have a lot of respect for each other."

In 2020, Vanessa Hudgens briefly got involved with Kyle Kuzma, a Washington Wizards basketball player (at the time of their rumored fling, Kuzma was with the Los Angeles Lakers). A source close to the "High School Musical" star notified People that while Hudgens was enjoying her time with Kuzma, she wasn't in a hurry to commit to anything new following her split from Austin Butler. Another insider echoed this sentiment to Us Weekly: "It's been fun and distracting for Vanessa to talk to, flirt with, and get attention from a new guy."

The alleged couple was spotted having dinner together by TMZ, after which, just a day later, Hudgens publicly expressed her support for Kuzma during a basketball game in Los Angeles. According to People, the actor shared snapshots of the match on her Instagram Stories and described Kuzma and his teammates as inspirations. Despite the public sightings and social media hints, neither Hudgens nor Kuzma addressed their romance, leaving the origins of their connection unclear. 

However, a source advised E! News that Hudgens is an avid basketball fan and is friendly with people from Kuzma's social circle, which may be how the two crossed paths. Notably, the insider also shared that Hudgens had no interest in developing her connection with Kuzma any further, noting, "They talk often and have plans to see each other again, but she doesn't want to date him."

Vanessa Hudgens added another athlete to her star-studded roster, this time in the form of MLB player Cole Tucker. During Hudgens' 2021 appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show," the actor shared the unusual way she met Tucker — via Zoom. The actor took the initiative to reach out to the baseball player after seeing him on a group meditation call. "I fully just slid into his DMs and was like, 'Hey, it was nice to meet you,'" Hudgens confessed, adding, "Zoom, you've got to love it." 

Speculations about their romance arose in November 2020 when they were spotted on a date, and about two months later, E! News officially confirmed their status as a couple, with an insider revealing that they had even celebrated the New Year together. Hudgens and Tucker's relationship took a public turn in February 2021 when they made their relationship debut on Instagram, both sharing affectionate photos of each other for Valentine's Day. 

Almost exactly two years later, in February 2023, the happy couple once again took to Instagram to announce their engagement. "We had definitely talked about it, but I did not expect it to happen the way that it happened and the moment that it happened," Hudgens subsequently acknowledged to People about the proposal, which took place in Paris. Sources later confirmed they'd tied the knot in a private ceremony in Mexico at the beginning of December 2023.