Dennis Quaid Dating University of Texas PhD Student Laura Savoie, Sources Confirm

The actor, 65, has been dating the 26-year-old graduate student for a number of months

Dennis Quaid has a new lady in his life!

The actor, 65, is dating 26-year-old University of Texas student Laura Savoie, multiple sources confirm to PEOPLE.

Savoie, who is originally from St. Louis, Missouri, attended undergrad at Pepperdine University, where she was her class’ valedictorian. During her time at the Malibu college, Savoie dated actor Jeremy Piven, a source tells PEOPLE.

She then went on to receive her master’s at the University of Notre Dame. Savoie is currently working towards her PhD in accounting at the University of Texas at Austin in their McCombs School of Business and expects to graduate in 2021.

The couple has been dating for the past few months and were photographed together on May 14 after enjoying a meal at celebrity hotspot Craig’s in West Hollywood, California. It is not clear when the actor split with his longtime girlfriend Santa Auzina, whom he was last photographed with in December.

Representatives for Quaid have not commented on the relationship. Savoie had no comment when contacted by PEOPLE.

Dennis Quaid, laura savoie

Since they started dating, Savoie hasn’t held back from sharing her happiness and has featured Quaid in several photos on her Instagram, which is currently set to private.

Most recently, the UT Austin student shared a snap of the pair with their arms wrapped around each other and captioned it with, “Never been happier.”

She also revealed that she “loved this man” in a snapshot from May, which featured the couple wearing hats that hid their faces while they shared a waterside kiss.

Until recently, Quaid was dating Auzina, 32. The former pair, who were together for a little over two years, began dating after the actor split from his wife, Kimberly Buffington, 47, in 2016.

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Dennis Quaid and Santa Auzina. Brad Barket/Getty
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Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Buffington, who was married to the actor for 12 years, cited irreconcilable differences and requested spousal support when she filed for divorce in Los Angeles, according to the court documents obtained by PEOPLE at the time.

The former pair finalized their divorce in April 2018. In the agreement, they share joint physical custody of their twins Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace, both 11, but Buffington was awarded 75 percent of their time.

Quaid, meanwhile, was awarded ownership of their home in Austin, Texas — which may be where he met Savoie.

Quaid was also previously married to actress Meg Ryan with whom he has a 27-year-old son Jack. Their 10-year marriage ended in divorce in 2001.

Before that, the father of three was married to actress P.J. Soles from 1978 to 1983.

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