In the summer of 2023, a huge gossip story broke over the course of several weeks. Ariana Grande left her then-husband, then we learned that she was seeing her costar Ethan Slater, and that was the reason for her divorce. Then we learned that Ethan was married and he and his wife just had a baby not even a year before he met Ariana. Two marriages destroyed, all because of an on-set love affair. Well, Ariana and Ethan have given it a go ever since. They’ve been together, they’ve tried to have a real relationship. And obviously, Ariana is starting to get bored. It sounds like Ethan isn’t really into it either. From a Daily Mail exclusive:
Ethan Slater thought he was stepping into a fairytale when he fell for megastar Ariana Grande on the set of Wicked nearly two years ago… but the happy ending looks further away than ever for the couple. Back then, both left long-term partners: Ariana split from realtor husband Dalton Gomez, 30, after two years of marriage, and Ethan, 33, left his high-school sweetheart and now ex-wife Lilly Jay, 31.
Cue the social media meltdown. Fans roasted them as ‘homewreckers,’ memes went viral faster than Ariana’s ponytail whipping around her head. Then Lilly herself went public with a viral essay calling Ariana ‘not a girl’s girl’, spilling on what it was like to lose her high school sweetheart to a Broadway star.
The Spotlight hears that Ethan (once best known for playing SpongeBob SquarePants in a musical) has since mended his relationship with Lilly as they co-parent their three-year-old son. But insiders say he often looks like a man caught between the life he had and the globe-trotting whirlwind he signed up for with Ariana. One source adds, ‘He sometimes wonders if he should have stayed in his quieter world; the contrast is brutal.’
Because Ariana is busy: touring arenas, rehearsing the sequel Wicked: For Good and juggling media appearances. All of which, my source says, have left Ethan struggling to keep pace – especially while being an involved dad to his son.
‘He loves her, but he’s drowning in the circus of her life,’ one insider explains. ‘He’s used to a controlled Broadway stage, not sold-out arenas screaming for every move. Even when he’s home, he’s mentally halfway through the tour or rehearsals. It’s exhausting just watching him try to keep up.’
Just days before Ariana’s big VMA night in September, Ethan was spotted quietly in Jersey City with Lilly and their little boy, co-parenting duties in full swing. Meanwhile, Ariana was surrounded by brother Frankie, stylist Law Roach, Lady Gaga and basically her own mini army. Ethan? Nowhere in sight.
Their last public appearance together was, incredibly, in late April at a preview of Little Shop of Horrors, supporting Ariana’s Victorious co-star Liz Gillies – and before that, the Oscars in March, where they were photographed hugging and chatting all night. Sources tell The Spotlight that the intensity of Ariana’s schedule – combined with the shadow of her high-profile exes and past fleeting romances – has created tension.
I hear the couple won’t confirm, or deny, any split until after Wicked: For Good premieres, in an attempt to keep the attention off their relationship. But behind the curtain, I’m told, the fairytale has ended. Ariana is flying, and Ethan is somewhere in the wings, missing the calm he left behind.
That last part is critical – there probably won’t be a big split announcement until after all of the Wicked promo. That being said, it’s not like Ari and Ethan really put their relationship front-and-center in the promotion last year. They even kept their distance on red carpets, and they were only photographed together behind-the-scenes at some awards shows. Anyway, this sh-t is as much of a cliche as Keith Urban. We all knew how it would play out as soon as we learned of their affair. Ethan blew up his life for a couple of years with a pop diva who only does three-year relationships, max.
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Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images, Lilly Jay’s IG.
