Are Selena Gomez And Zac Efron Dating? New Details On Their Rumored Secret Romance
Sources say they're flirting.
There may be a new Hollywood couple in town.
Zac Efron and Selena Gomez have been getting a little closer than normal, according to a new report from Radar Online. Sources told the gossip magazine that they've been "hanging out and talking." There's obviously an "attraction" between the former Disney Channel stars, but it's one that has their mutual friends concerned. Mainly because of Zac, 31, and Selena's, 26, "highly sensitive personalities."
“A lot of people think their chemistry is a recipe for disaster,” a source told Radar. “Both of them tend to go off the rails when they’re not living a fully focused, hyper-regimented lifestyle with a team of helpers keeping them on track.”
But, like most celebrities probably do, they're ignoring their friends' concerns, have "downplayed any fear," and are "enjoying the fact that they've reconnected."
So are Selena Gomez and Zac Efron dating? Here's what we know.
1. Other than their Disney connections, they also worked together on a movie.
Selena appeared the sequel of Zac's hit comedy Neighbors, and they reportedly got along very well on set. Selena starred alongside Zac and Seth Rogen in the film that came out in 2016 as president of a sorority.
2. They each have their own set of mental health issues.
Part of what has their friends so concerned is that both Zac and Selena have dealt with and are still recovering from some serious mental health issues.
Radar previously reported that Zac has had addiction issues since 2011 — with a variety of drugs including Adderall, cocaine, and marijuana — and his friends and family fear he could relapse one day. His addiction led to two stints in rehab, an attack on Skid Row in Los Angeles and a revival from friends during a party when he overdosed on oxycodone.
Zac started focusing on his sobriety in 2014 when he attended the Oscars with a sober coach. According to an article in 2017 where he talked about how fitness helped him maintain his sobriety, he's still sober.
3. Selena is still dealing with anxiety.
Fans of Selena know that she's struggled with anxiety and depression as a result of her lupus diagnosis. This stress has led her to have multiple stints in rehab, many of which were at the urgency of her friends and family. She last entered a psychiatric facility in October.
Reports say that her mental health crisis began when she was hospitalized for a low blood cell count. Her mother, Mandy Teefey, contributed that to Selena's drinking and reckless partying. A source inside the family told Radar Online that her health conditions were because Selena refused to "live a sober life."
“Doctors have all told her she needs to stop,” the insider claimed. “Her family says she needs to stay sober, or she could die.”
Selena defended her drinking in an interview with Elle.
“As far as my personal life, someone sees me having a glass of wine? I could give two s***s. I’m not trying to hide. That’s my life,” she said. The latest reports say that Selena is "going to therapy, working with a psychiatrist and is just trying to stay really active."
4. Zac recently followed Selena on Instagram.
While Zac and Selena dating may have seemed like just gossip and hearsay at first, we can't ignore the fact that he just followed her on Instagram.
In February, Zac posted what Elle called a "thirst trap disguised as a birth post" for his brother that shows them both shirtless and in water. The next day, he followed Selena.
But she never followed him back. So it could mean something, or it could mean a whole lot of nothing, seeing as how Selena was very honest about how she felt about Instagram in that interview with Elle.
“I don’t have my password for Instagram. I have no apps on my phone, no photo editing apps. I have Peak, a brain game. The reason why is, it’s not real to me.”
5. Zac has said some nice comments about her in the past.
After Neighbors 2 came out, Zac told Entertainment Tonight about how he felt working with Selena.
"She's awesome," he said. "She's super-talented."
And he also started laughing with Seth Rogan described her as "tiny" and a "very small person."
So are they or are they not dating? As much as fans would love an answer, it looks like we'll just have to wait and see.
Emily Blackwood is a writer and editor living in California. She covers all things news, pop culture, and true crime.