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Vanessa Hudgens says Austin Butler’s breakup pushed her to ‘the right person’: ‘I’m so grateful’

Meanwhile, Austin has been dating Kaia Gerber since 2021, with the pair going strong.


Daniel Neira
Daniel Neira - Los Angeles
Senior WriterLos Angeles
MARCH 7, 2024 1:49 PM EST

Vanessa Hudgens is looking back at her romantic relationship with ‘Elvis’ star Austin Butler, revealing that after their split, she was able to find “the right person.” The actress shared her thoughts about the breakup, admitting that she is “grateful” after finding her now-husband Cole Tucker.

The Hollywood star opened up about her dating history during her conversation on the ‘She Pivots’ podcast, where she talked about her split from the actor in 2020, after being together for 9 years. “I feel like so much of my character was built from my breakups,” she said on the podcast.

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Talking about Austin, Vanessa said; “I feel like my last breakup has really catapulted me to a very, very special place, obviously, getting married.” She went on to credit the actor for helping her find love again, and “push[ing] me to the right person, which I’m so grateful for.”

Vanessa described her husband as “the most supportive, real understanding human being that I’ve ever met.” The newlyweds celebrated their love with an intimate wedding, which also served as a ‘High School Musical’ reunion, with part of the cast in attendance.

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“I think that it’s also so important to stay grateful for everything that you have in life. I’ve been making that a priority, and I feel like it’s just been making magic happen all the more,“ Vanessa said to Entertainment Tonight about her new relationship. “He’s just kind of perfect for me. I am [happy]. I really am,” she said about Cole.

Meanwhile, Austin has been dating Kaia Gerber since 2021, with the pair going strong. Despite his breakup with Vanessa, the actor said to Esquire that he still has “so much love” for her.