LOS ANGELES: American actress Nina Dobrev and Olympic snowboarder Shaun White have ended their engagement and parted ways after five years together, according to multiple sources cited by People magazine on Thursday.
The split was described as a mutual decision. A source told People it “wasn’t an easy one, but it was made with love and a deep respect for one another.”
Neither Dobrev, 36, nor White, 39, has publicly commented on the breakup.
The former couple were last seen together on 31 August in Los Angeles, holding hands while running errands.
Days later, on 7 September, Dobrev appeared at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of her film Eternity without her five-carat diamond engagement ring, fuelling speculation about their relationship.
Observers also noted that she had unpinned her engagement announcement from the top of her Instagram profile, where it had remained since White’s proposal in October 2024.
Dobrev and White first met at an event in Florida in late 2019 and quickly formed a connection. Their relationship became public during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when they were photographed cycling in Malibu.
White also shared images of Dobrev cutting his hair in lockdown. He later credited that period with deepening their bond, telling People, “Nina’s just been so supportive and so amazing through this whole process for me.”
Over the years, the pair were frequently seen at high-profile events, including Coachella 2025, the Moncler autumn/winter 2025 show, the 2024 Earthshot Prize Awards in Singapore, and the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in 2024.
White proposed in October 2024 with a surprise dinner at New York’s Golden Swan restaurant, after inviting Dobrev under the pretence of attending a CFDA/Vogue event with Anna Wintour.
In an interview with Vogue, Dobrev recalled being “in shock” when he popped the question.
In recent months, however, reports indicated that wedding plans had been put on hold. Dobrev herself had spoken about delaying the ceremony, although she continued to share affectionate posts about their relationship.
Just days before the news of the breakup emerged, she posted a holiday photo of the couple in bed together, which had led fans to assume their relationship remained strong.
Their split has surprised many fans on social media. On X, formerly Twitter, users expressed shock, with some posting humorous takes on the breakup and others revisiting the timeline of their relationship.
The end of Dobrev and White’s partnership closes a chapter that began with their widely admired pandemic romance and culminated in an engagement celebrated across Hollywood and the sporting world.
