Nina Dobrev has been forced to come forward and address the Zac Efron dating rumours after a friend of hers uploaded a now-viral photo to social media.
As fans of the 36-year-old The Vampire Diaries actress will know, she recently split up from her 39-year-old Olympic snowboarder fiancé, Shaun White, with PEOPLE confirming the end of their five-year relationship early last month (11 September).
A source close to the former couple, who parted ways less than a year after getting engaged, claimed that it was a 'mutual decision, and wasn’t an easy one, but it was made with love and a deep respect for one another'.
A week later (18 September), Nina's friend Keleigh Teller took to Instagram to share a series of snaps of them together enjoying a trip in Italy.
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In one photo, Nina can be seen posing on a boat alongside Gossip Girl actor Chace Crawford, his girlfriend Kelsey Merritt, and Keleigh's Top Gun star husband, Miles Teller.
However, it was the inclusion of the 37-year-old High School Musical alum Zac Efron that sent the internet into a right frenzy.
"Now this is a friend right here. Going through a breakup? Lemme put you on a yacht with four of the hottest men I know, all my friends got me was a Ben & Jerry’s pint. It was good, but it wasn’t Zac Efron good," gushed one fan on social media.
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A second chimed in: "Keleigh you are a great friend. Getting Nina the vacay away and ensuring she has options out there!! Let’s go! We need friends like this!"
"Has Zac Efron entered the Villa??" quipped a third.
Despite the growing speculation online regarding a possible romance between the two Hollywood A-listers, Nina has since addressed the rumours once and for all.
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Speaking to TMZ, she denied that the holiday was the start of something new for the pair, shaking her head 'no' at the question that they were dating in a video posted on Wednesday (1 October).
And, when asked if she and Zac were just friends, she confirmed: "Yeah."
The Perks of Being a Wallflower star seems to be in good spirits as she added: "I’m excited for the future and the only thing that’s guaranteed is change."
Neither Nina nor Shaun has addressed the breakup since the news broke back in September.
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Tyla has reached out to Nina Dobrev's representatives for further comment.
Topics: Celebrity, Sex and Relationships, Dating, Social Media, Zac Efron
Rhiannon Ingle