Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler's Relationship Timeline, Explained

This celebrity power couple was together for nearly all of the 2010s decade, and their breakup is still something of a mystery.

By Michael Hein

Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler were one of Hollywood's favorite power couples for nearly a decade, and it seems they broke up just as both of them were approaching new heights in their careers. The former Disney star duo dated from 2011 to 2019, and have both moved on to new relationships since the breakup. Here's a look back at their time together.

Before looking back too far, it's worth establishing where Hudgens and Butler are now. Hudgens began dating MLB player Cole Tucker in 2021, and they married in 2023. In March, Hudgens announced that she is pregnant with their first child in dramatic fashion – live from the Oscars red carpet. Meanwhile, Butler got into a relationship with model and actress Kaia Gerber in 2021. The two are still together, although there were some raised eyebrows this weekend when Butler did not accompany Gerber to the 2024 Met Gala.

It seems safe to say that Butler and Hudgens are split up for good, but that doesn't negate their impact on the pop culture zeitgeist for most of the last decade. Here's a look back at their love story as it played out in the headlines.

2005 — 'High School Musical'

Sony Pictures' "Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood" Los Angeles Premiere – Arrivals
(Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin)

Hudgens first met Butler when she was filming High School Musical, according to a report by The Daily Mail. At the time, Hudgens was dating Zac Efron. Butler was new to the Disney Channel as well, making a few appearances on Hannah Montana at the time. The two were friendly from the start, and they remembered each other as the years went on.

2011 — Early Rumors

Hudgens and Butler were first linked romantically in 2011, shortly after she had split from Efron. Paparazzi reportedly saw Butler leaving Hudgens' house late one night, and a source even told Hollywood Life that they had a "friend with benefits situation." Another source later disputed this in a report by PEOPLE.

"They were together but in a large group," the insider said. "They were not doing anything to show that they were really together romantically but they were definitely hanging out and having fun." At the time, Hudgens was 23 years old and Butler was 20.

2012 — Going Public

Celebrities At The Lakers Game
(Photo: Noel Vasquez / Getty Images)

Butler and Hudgens kept to themselves for about a year. Finally, in the fall, they stepped out in public for a few romantic dates. This culminated in a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, where they kissed for all the world to see.

2013 — Instagram Official

It was a full year later when Butler made his debut appearance on Hudgens' Instagram — a huge step in modern romance. The picture showed Hudgens, Butler and three more friends in vintage formal attire.

"Hot damn I've got some seriously sexy friends," Hudgens wrote, but fans thought she might be referring to one friend in particular.

2014 — Birthday Wishes

PDA is one thing, but Hudgens took the leap and really expressed her feelings for Butler on his birthday in August of 2014. The actress wrote a heartfelt message for her boyfriend, leaving little doubt that they were really committed at this point.

"Yesterday was the love of my life's birthday," she wrote. "Happy birthday to the man with the kindest heart, beautiful soul, crazy talent and best looks I've ever seen. He never stops inspiring me in every aspect of life and always lifts those around him up higher. I thank god so greatly for blessing the world 23 years ago by creating Austin Butler."

2015 — Butler Opens Up

2015 MTV Video Music Awards – Red Carpet
(Photo: Mike Windle / Getty Images)

It was another year before Butler put Hudgens on his own Instagram feed – though all of his previous posts have since been purged. Soon after that, he gave an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the MTV Music Video Awards, gushing about his relationship.

"It's important to put that other person first," he explained. "If you're constantly looking for ways that you can make them happy, and they're constantly looking for ways that they can make you happy, then you kind of lift each other up as much as possible and you can't go wrong."

2016 — 'Grease Live'

Butler had more praise for his girlfriend in February of 2016, when Hudgens performed in Fox's production of Grease Live. Just one day before, Hudgens' father had passed away due to cancer, and Butler got on Twitter to express his amazement at her commitment and resolve.

"WOW [Vanessa Hudgens] singing 'Worst Things' had me in tears," he wrote. "Just brilliant."

2017 — Long Distance

Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles – June 26, 2017
(Photo: SMXRF/Star Max)

While the passion between them was already clear, Hudgens and Butler gave fans a better idea of the logistical struggles of their relationship in 2017. Butler had just spent a lot of time in New Zealand filming The Shannara Chronicles, and in an interview with PEOPLE, Hudgens admitted that it was not easy to go long distance for that long.

"Just communication, communication is key," she said. "I think that if anything's bothering you, don't hold it in. Always bring it up and just talk about it. Un-censor yourself and just be open."

2018 — Engagement Rumors

In the final two weeks of 2017, rumors began to swirl that Hudgens and Butler were engaged. These started with an innocent Instagram post where Hudgens wore a diamond ring on her left ring finger. Before long, she had to get online and tell fans outright that they were wrong.

"Guysssss. I'm not engaged!" she wrote. "I posted a pic. Not to show off my ring that I happened to throw on that finger after a long day of filming but to show off my haircut [Lol]."

A few months later, Hudgens spoke to Entertainment Tonight more in-depth about the subject. As far as she was concerned, the fact that she and Butler were in no rush to tie the knot was just proof of how secure they were in their relationship.

"If I felt pressure in a relationship, we wouldn't have been together for almost seven years," she said. "Each couple has their own journey."

'Elvis'

While 2019 may feel like a long time ago, the reality is that Hudgens and Butler were still together when Butler was cast in one of his biggest recent roles – Elvis. When the casting was announced in 2019, Hudgens took to Instagram to sing her boyfriend's praises. By the time Butler was winning awards for his performance a few short years later, they were broken up.

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Breakup

Fans began to suspect that something was off between Hudgens and Butler when the couple's social media activity dropped from frequent to nothing all at once. Finally, in January of 2020 a source close to them told PEOPLE that they had broken up. The insider said: "They really loved each other and have been through some of their toughest life moments together. 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."

Butler's 'Friend'

After the breakup, there was one major debacle in the press that had fans furious at Hudgens. It began in 2019 when Hudgens appeared on Live with Kelly and Ryan, and said she had actually remarked that Butler could play Elvis Presley before he was even up for the role. In January of 2023, Butler shared that same story during a Hollywood Reporter Actors' Roundtable, with all the same details intact.

"The month before I heard that Baz [Luhrmann] was making the movie, I was going to look at Christmas lights with a friend, and there was an Elvis Christmas song on the radio and I was singing along, and my friend looked over at me and goes, 'You've got to play Elvis,'" Butler recalled. "I said, 'Oh, that's such a long shot."

Fans thought that Butler was minimizing Hudgens contributions to his life by referring to her as "friend" in that story, and he apologized publicly a few times after that. In an interview with Esquire back in February of this year, he said: "Oh, yeah, I learned a lesson with that one. I felt that I was respecting her privacy in a way and not wanting to bring up a ton of things that would cause her to have to talk. I have so much love and care for her. It was in no way trying to erase anything. I value my own privacy so much, I didn't want to give up anybody else's privacy."

It's not clear where things stand between Butler and Hudgens these says, as both have kept relatively quiet about their breakup in the press. It seems clear that they've both moved on to other long-term relationships.

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