Zac Efron is immersing himself in his work amid his breakup with girlfriend Vanessa Valladares. The 33-year-old looked extra hunky in a firefighter’s uniform while taking part in a controlled bush burn in Queensland, Australia. It will be featured on his Netflix travel and sustainable lifestyle show Down to Earth. Zac posted three photos to his Instagram account on Thurs. Apr. 22, which coincided with Earth Day.
Zac could be seen wearing a yellow fire retardant jacket with a grey t-shirt underneath and bright orange pants. He donned a yellow safety helmet as he tagged along with a group of fire and land management experts from Girringun Aboriginal Corp. Zac looked deep in serious thought amongst burning brush around him in one of the photos, while appearing to discuss controlled burns with a GAC member in another photo with smoke and small flames around them.
In a group photo, Zac flashed his bright Hollywood smile as he stood alongside his film crew. The Baywatch star even confidently held onto the lapels of his firefighting jacket. His breakup with Vanessa seemed to be far from his mind in the snapshot, as the actor celebrated Earth Day in his caption.
Zac wrote, “It’s #earthday. I’ve been so blessed to be able to travel and see all of the amazing things people are doing for the planet. It’s a beautiful world, let’s protect it.” He then added, “Learning from the @girringunaboriginalcorp how to manage land through cultural burns,” and tagged his TV show and Earth Day’s organization.
Zac and Vanessa’s split was confirmed on Apr. 20 by one of his pals. “It’s not a rumor, it’s true. I can also confirm after speaking with him yesterday,” Kyle Sandilands said on The Kyle and Jackie O Show. “It’s only recent, but not, like, yesterday recent. But they’ve gone their separate ways… No drama, but it’s done.” He added, “They spent a lot of time with each other when he wasn’t working, lunching and living in the mansions on the beach. It’s a fabulous life. And then work comes back and kicks you straight back into reality, so it’s a shame.”
Kyle said that Zac’s busy work schedule was to blame for his split with Vanessa, who he met while she was waiting tables at Byron Bay’s General Store & Café. Zac had made the Gold Coast town his base camp during the COVID-19 pandemic, and still calls it home as he shoots Down to Earth season two around Australia. He and Vanessa had started hanging out in July 2020, and she hosted a birthday party for him in Oct. 2020. At the time of the bash, Kyle said, “He’s in love with this girl, Vanessa. They’re lovely. Beautiful couple. They do everything together… They’re just really sweet. They seem really settled and nice.” Zac and Vanessa were last photographed together on March 25, 2021 when she visited him on location at Mount Macedon in the state of Victoria.