We're Soaring, Flying Over Vanessa Hudgens and Ex Austin Butler's Oscars After-Party Run-In

Yes, we're all shook up over this 2023 Oscars moment.

Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler had a surprise run-in after the 95th Academy Awards on March 12. 

Three years after their breakup, the former couple was spotted outside of Vanity Fair's annual bash, held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. In one photograph, Butler can be seen waving to fans while Hudgens appeared to walk by him and actress Sharon Stone.

The High School Musical alum—who co-hosted ABC's Oscars pre-show—and the Elvis actor—who was nominated for his first-ever Academy Award—called it quits in Jan. 2020 after almost nine years of dating.

Their brief Oscars encounter is actually a full-circle moment, given that when their breakup news emerged, Butler was in Australia filming the Elvis Presley biopic, for which he was nominated. (See the full list of 2023 Oscar winners HERE.)

While the two haven't publicly shared the reason for their split, Butler did address their breakup during a May interview. "Life is full of changes," he told GQ Hype, "and you've got to find a way to constantly be evolving and growing."

In late January, after a series of interviews about his road to Elvis, Butler, 31, credited Hudgens, 34, for encouraging him to take on the iconic role.

"We'd been together for so long and she had this sort of clairvoyant moment," he told the Los Angeles Times, "and so I really, I owe her a lot for believing in me."

Given that it's been years since their breakup, both Butler and Hudgens have moved on. In fact, Hudgens recently got engaged to baseball player Cole Tucker.

"YES," she captioned Feb. 9 Instagram photos of her gorgeous diamond ring. "We couldn't be happier."

Butler, meanwhile, has also moved on romantically. Since Dec. 2021, the actor has been linked to supermodel Kaia Gerber, who he posed with on the Vanity Fair after-party red carpet.

Back in January, the daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber celebrated her leading man's 2023 Golden Globes win at a star-studded after-party, where they were spotted packing on the PDA.

Earlier in the night, Butler took his sister Ashley as his date to the ceremony and gave her a sweet shout-out in his acceptance speech. "My sister is here with me tonight. Ashley, I love you so much," he said. "I want to thank my dad, who is watching at home."

"I want to thank my mom, who I know is smiling down right now," Butler, whose mom Lori passed away in 2014, continued. "Mama, I love you so much. Thank you for sacrificing so much for me."

To see more stars at the Vanity Fair after-party, keep scrolling!

In Bach Mai

In Zuhair Murad

In custom Zac Posen

In custom Maison Margiela

Sophie in Louis Vuitton

In Feben

Rita in Weiderhoeft

In Donna Karan

In Robert Wun

In Gabriela Hearst

In custom Chrome Hearts

In Dolce & Gabbana

In Jean Paul Gaultier 

In Balmain

In custom Saint Laurent and YSL Beauty

In Celine

Jodie in Gucci

In Valentino Haute Couture

In Louis Vuitton

In Stella McCartney

In Zuhair Murad

Kate in Monique Lhuillier

In Alexander McQueen

In Celine and YSL Beauty

Dwayne with a Vacheron Constantin watch, Gabrielle in Ralph Lauren