Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens Split 7 Years Ago: Remembering Their Cutest Moments

High School Musical sweethearts called it quits in late 2010 after dating for about four years

By Corinne Heller Dec 13, 2017 8:23 PMTags
Watch: Zac Efron's Message for Fans

It seems like it was just yesterday Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens knew this could be the start of something new.

And seven years ago, they called it quits after dating for about four years, shattering our hearts forever.

The two met in 2005 on the set of the Disney Channel movie High School Musical, which saw them play couple Troy and Gabriella and made them stars. They reportedly began dating a year later and reprised their roles in two sequels, including a third one that was screened in theaters.

During Efron and Hudgens' time together as a couple, they often vacationed together and attended many red carpet events, including the most prestigious one of all; the Oscars, in 2009.

2005: High School Musical

The pair met on the set of the Disney Channel movie.

2006: Young Love

The two attend the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation's A Time For Heroes Celebrity Carnival.

2007: High School Musical 2 Premiere

The two arrive at the event in Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

2008 Teen Choice Awards

The two showcased adorable looks at the ceremony.

2009 Oscars

The two looked glamorous on the red carpet at their first Academy Awards.

2009: Basketball Date

The two cheer on the Los Angeles Lakers.

2009: High School Musical 3: Senior Year Premiere in Japan

The actress whispers to her beau during the event in at the Shinagawa Stellar Ball in Tokyo.

2009: Shopping Spree

The two are spotted holding hands after spending the day shopping and lunching with friends in Los Angeles.

2010: Charity Event Date Night

The two attend the L.A. Family Housing 2010 Gala in Hollywood.

2010: Charlie St. Cloud Premiere

The actress supports her beau at his premiere.

2010: Nylon Party

The two arrive at the magazine's Young Hollywood Event.

2010: Coachella

The two hang out at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California.

Disney

On Dec. 13, 2010, sources told E! News that Efron and Hudgens had split, but remain friends.

"It's nothing dramatic," one source said at the time. "There's no third party involved."

"They were together for so long," a second insider said. "It just ran its course."

In 2011, Hudgens told Shape magazine, "Long-distance relationships are hard no matter what. When you don't have face-to-face time, it's just different. Having an iPhone helped, but it just wasn't the same."

"It was a good thing," she said about her and Efron's romance. "The relationship kept me grounded, and because I was with someone who knew me so well, I didn't need to try to be someone I'm not."