On Halloween night, actress Nina Dobrev appeared to make light of her recent breakup with ex-fiancé Shaun White by donning a costume inspired by the Bride of Chucky horror franchise.
The 36-year-old Vampire Diaries alum dressed as Tiffany Valentine, the on-screen bride and accomplice of the infamous killer doll Chucky, complete with a replica of the character’s bleeding heart tattoo. The look appeared to playfully reference her former partner, 39-year-old Olympic snowboarder and Snow League founder Shaun White, who was once known for his signature long red hair—a feature that earned him the nickname “The Flying Red Tomato.”
Ms. Dobrev, whose transformation was assisted by stylist Lauren Jeworski, hairstylist Dawson Hiegert, and makeup artist Kale Teter, completed the ensemble with a bridal gown, dark-rooted blonde wig, and gothic-inspired makeup.
The actress co-hosted a “Haunted Hotel” Halloween event in New York City alongside nightlife entrepreneur Darren Dzienciol. Her guest for the evening was her talent manager, Erica Barstein, who dressed as Chucky in complementary overalls and facial scar makeup. Notably, Ms. Barstein previously worked as a brand strategist and manager for Mr. White.
The post drew swift reactions from Ms. Dobrev’s 47.7 million social media followers, including several celebrities. Emily in Paris star Ashley Park simply commented “Exactly,” while actress Jamie Chung wrote, “So good! So hawt! Thanks for having us!” Other remarks came from Arielle Vandenberg (“BRO”), Jessica Szohr Richardson (“Bro is right @arielle!”), and Spring Breakers 2 star Grace Van Dien (“Ate!”).
Meanwhile, across the country in Los Angeles, Mr. White attended a Halloween gathering at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, where he appeared in a humorous costume as Darla Sherman, the pigtail-wearing “fish killer” from Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo. The three-time Olympic gold medalist’s outfit featured red pigtails and braces, showing a lighter side to his post-breakup Halloween.
The former couple, who first met briefly in 2012 before reconnecting in 2019 at a Tony Robbins workshop, had been together for nearly four years and went public with their relationship in 2020. They were last seen holding hands at a Los Angeles farmer’s market on August 31 before People magazine confirmed their split on September 11.
A source told the publication, “She is devastated. There was one reason [for the breakup]—she wanted a family and wanted to get married, and he didn’t.”
Signs of tension surfaced earlier in September when Ms. Dobrev shared a TikTok video that many fans interpreted as a veiled reference to infidelity. Lip-syncing to a trending audio clip, she joked, “Listen, Bob the Builder, he’s got 10 other women trying to fix him too, and you all look like a damn construction crew.”
Reports have since surfaced that Mr. White may be romantically linked to TikTok creator Eli Withrow, whom he reportedly cast in an upcoming film project. According to DeuxMoi, Ms. Withrow has been seen sharing images from Mr. White’s private jet and residence with friends, describing her as “super excited” and “a sweetheart.”
Ms. Dobrev’s Halloween appearance — part self-deprecating humor, part empowerment — seemed to serve as a public reclaiming of narrative following what sources have described as a painful breakup.#newsafro_
