Vanessa Hudgens Seemingly Reacts to Her Awkward 2023 Oscars Run-In With Ex Austin Butler: Let’s ‘Only Talk About Peace’

Addressing the drama. Vanessa Hudgens seemingly reacted to her awkward encounter with her ex-boyfriend Austin Butler after the 2023 Oscars.

Following the awards show on Sunday, March 12, the two were spotted outside of the Vanity Fair Oscar Party. In a video obtained by Us Weekly, Hudgens, 34, was seen walking past the Elvis star, 31, and Sharon Stone as her ex waved to fans across the street, all without looking up at him.

Two days after the event, the High School Musical star shared a clip from the ceremony via her Instagram Story, in which host Jimmy Kimmel asked education activist Malala Yousafzai for her thoughts on whether Harry Styles spit on Chris Pine at the Don’t Worry Darling premiere in September 2022. Choosing not to weigh in on the viral moment, she responded, “I only talk about peace.”

Hudgens used Yousafzai’s words to relate to her own situation, captioning her Instagram Story of the post, “Let’s all be on the ‘I only talk about peace’ train. OK?”

At this year’s Oscars, the Princess Switch star hosted ABC’s pre-show coverage, while Butler — who is currently dating model Kaia Gerber — was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in the Baz Luhrmann-directed biopic Elvis. He ultimately lost to The Whale’s Brendan Fraser.

Hudgens and the Shannara Chronicles alum began dating in 2011. After almost nine years together, an insider confirmed to Us in 2020 that the two had called it quits, stating, “Vanessa and Austin are officially broken up, and Vanessa has been telling those close to her about the breakup.”

One year after their split, Hudgens went Instagram official with MLB player Cole Tucker. After nearly three years of dating, Us confirmed on February 3 the 26-year-old athlete popped the question before the New Year. “YES. We couldn’t be happier,” Hudgens captioned Instagram pics of her fiancé and engagement ring on February 9.

One month after Butler was cast as Elvis in July 2019, the Tick, Tick … BOOM! star revealed that she told her then-boyfriend that the role was one he was born to play. “Last December, we were driving along and we were listening to Christmas music, and then an Elvis Presley Christmas song came on,” she shared on an August 2019 episode of Live With Kelly and Ryan. “He had just dyed his hair dark — he’s a natural blond — and I was looking at him and he was singing along and I was like, ‘Babe, you need to play Elvis.’”

Butler didn’t address his ex’s encouragement of him going after the part until The Hollywood Reporter’s Actors Roundtable interview in January, during which he referred to Hudgens as his “friend” while recounting the same memory she did.

“I was with a friend of mine and I was singing along, and my friend kind of looked over at me and goes, ‘You gotta play Elvis’” he stated at the time.

He later clarified that it was the Powerless alum he was the “friend” he spoke about in a January interview with the Los Angeles Times, stating, “We’d been together for so long and she had this sort of clairvoyant moment and so I really, I owe her a lot for believing in me.”