After half a decade together, Shaun White and Nina Dobrev have officially gone their separate ways, ending both their relationship and their engagement. People was first to report the news, confirmed by a source close to the former couple.
“It was a mutual decision, and wasn’t an easy one, but it was made with love and a deep respect for one another,” the insider shared. The Olympic gold medalist and the Vampire Diaries actress had last been seen publicly on August 31, strolling hand-in-hand in Los Angeles.
Just a week later, Dobrev appeared solo and ringless on the red carpet at the 'Eternity' premiere during the Toronto International Film Festival, sparking breakup rumors that have now been validated.
© gotpap/Bauer-GriffinBack in October 2024, White had proposed in grand fashion. He orchestrated a fake invitation to a CFDA/Vogue dinner hosted by Anna Wintour at New York’s Golden Swan. Instead of haute couture, Dobrev walked into a candlelit surprise proposal, complete with a 5-carat Lorraine Schwartz diamond ring.
“He made the invite look so legitimate,” Dobrev later told Vogue. “I was in a panic that Anna’s waiting for me.” The couple shared their engagement news on Instagram, where White posted “She said YES,” while Dobrev captioned her post, “RIP boyfriend, hello fiancé.” Those posts, however, have since been removed or unpinned from their profiles.
© Robin MarchantTheir love story had a unique start, reconnecting in 2019 at a Tony Robbins event in Florida, where they both were speakers. Although they first briefly met in 2012, it wasn’t until that event that a real connection formed. As White admitted in a 2022 interview, he initially had no idea who Dobrev was.
“I actually didn't know anything about [Dobrev],” he recalled to People. “It was actually really funny... I was like, 'What's happening? What's going on?'” after event staff kept asking for photos with her. The pair went Instagram official in May 2020 when White posted photos of Dobrev giving him a DIY quarantine haircut. That time together during the pandemic helped solidify their bond.
© Hollywood To You/Star Max“Nina's just been so supportive and so amazing through this whole process for me,” White told the publication. “Through the pandemic, she was a lifesaver — she really made that time in my life special.”
They became regulars on red carpets and each other’s biggest cheerleaders behind the scenes. In 2022, Dobrev flew to Beijing to support White during his fifth and final Winter Olympics, a moment he described as “emotional” and “overwhelming.”
© Alexander Tamargo“She knew all of my friends and family couldn’t be there and she got everyone together and made this incredible video of everyone saying how much they wish they could be there,” White told E! News. “So that was just so wonderful. It really set the tone for the rest of the trip.”
Later, when Dobrev suffered a severe knee injury in 2024, White was reportedly by her side through recovery and rehab. As recently as earlier this year, the couple seemed optimistic about their future. In a 2022 interview, White even hinted at wanting to become a father someday.
© Justin Goff Photos“It’s just something that seems so exciting, you know?” he told Us Weekly. “I love being around people, and I love the idea of having someone other than my own pursuits to look after.”
Yet behind the curated photos and public appearances, like their joint outings to Coachella, Aspen, or fashion week, something quietly shifted. In his final interview before the Olympics in 2022, White appeared content, hinting that he was looking forward to more personal time.
“We're just enjoying our time together right now. No pressure,” he said to People. “But I told her, I was like, ‘Look, after the Olympics, I finally got my freedom to do whatever. And let’s just have fun and be together and support each other.’”
