New and improved! Zac Efron has changed quite a bit since moving from Los Angeles to Australia — and his girlfriend, Vanessa Valladares, has been one of his biggest support systems along the way.
“Zac’s loving his life in Australia,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “He’s settled down and very happy with his girlfriend. It’s serious.”
The actor, 33, has been living Down Under for years and met Valladares, 25, there in June while she was working at the Byron Bay General Store. Us broke the news of their relationship in September.
“He’s living eight hours outside of Sydney. Nobody bothers him,” the source says. “He hangs out with the Hemsworths. He goes surfing. He’s coming a long way from partying in L.A.”
Early in his career, Efron developed quite a party-boy reputation, in part due to his quick switch from family-friendly movies like Disney’s High School Musical franchise to the frat-house favorite Neighbors. In 2013, he went to rehab for alcohol and substance abuse. He is now sober.
“Zac and Vanessa are really good for each other. She has calmed him down a lot, and he’s not partying too much,” a source exclusively told Us in September, while a second insider revealed that the waitress “spends most nights” at her boyfriend’s house in Australia.
When Efron turned 33 in October, Valladares surprised him with a star-studded party attended by friends including former tennis pro Pat Rafter, Liam and Chris Hemsworth and radio host Kyle Sandilands.
“He’s in love with this girl, Vanessa,” the Kyle and Jackie O Show cohost later said. “They’re lovely. Beautiful couple. They do everything together. … They’re just really sweet. They seem really settled and nice.”
The Down to Earth With Zac Efron host previously dated Vanessa Hudgens, who played his girlfriend in the High School Musical movies, from 2007 to 2010. He later romanced model Sami Miro, actresses Lily Collins, Michelle Rodriguez and Halston Sage and Olympic swimmer Sarah Bro.
