Nina Dobrev and Shaun White are engaged after more than four years of dating.
“RIP boyfriend, hello fiancé 💍♾️,” Dobrev, 35, captioned romantic photos of herself and White, 48, in front of a floral arch via Instagram on Wednesday, October 30. The Vampire Diaries alum wore a teardrop-shaped diamond engagement ring.
“She said YES 💍♾️,” White wrote in his own post on Wednesday.
“Nina was totally surprised and they’re both wildly happy,” a source tells Us Weekly. The proposal took place in New York City over the weekend.
The pair originally sparked romance rumors in February 2020 when their followers noticed that they had both posted photos from a trip to South Africa. Us broke the news two months later that The Vampire Diaries actress was dating White.
At the time, a source told Us that the couple were “enjoying their time together” as they got to know one another, adding, “Nina really likes Shaun, and they both laugh a lot together.”
After growing closer amid the coronavirus pandemic, a second source revealed that Dobrev and White were in it for the long haul.
“Nina has had a lot of relationships not work out in the past, but ever since meeting Shaun, you can tell she’s just really excited about how far this relationship has come,” the insider shared in April 2021. “They’re gradually taking steps to starting a future together.”
Nina Dobrev and Shaun White. Bruce Glikas/WireImage
The professional athlete later explained that the secret to a long-distance relationship is all about commitment.
“We have a nice little system of how to stay in touch,” he exclusively told Us in October 2021. “Plane tickets are pretty much booked for any opportunity that we can go see one another. So, I know during the holiday break, we’re going to meet up, and we’re going to meet up again probably around Christmas time. Anything that happens in between, then I’ll jet over and see her. You just make it work.”
He added: “I think that’s the goal of it all and the key to it all is just making the time. [Nina’s] super organized and on top of it, so I give it to her. She always finds a way to make it happen.”
While preparing to participate at the 2022 Winter Olympics, White gushed about how supportive his girlfriend was of his career.
“She’s like, ‘Hey, I’m here to help you … how do I help you?’ It’s not about her. She’s just been so giving in that sense,” the California native told Us in January, noting that the Perks of Being a Wallflower actress has “this overwhelming kindness and care for people” around her. “She wants to elevate the people around her. It’s such a beautiful thing, especially in today’s world. To have that kind of a caring quality still is really special.”
Dobrev, for her part, also opened up about getting to watch her boyfriend accomplish something so monumental.
“We’ll be anxiously watching from home and cheering him on. I’m very, very excited for him. I can’t wait,” she shared with Us in February, before weighing in on his plans to end his Olympic career. “He’s had such an incredibly long and amazing, successful run of the sport. He knows when the time is to throw the hat in, and he’s decided that it’s now.”
That same month, White earned fourth place during the men’s snowboarding halfpipe competition.
“I just want to thank everyone for watching. Everyone at home, thank you,” White, who previously won three gold medals, told NBC at the event in Beijing, China. “Snowboarding, thank you. It’s been the love of my life.”
Reporting by Travis Cronin
