Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater Break Up After More Than 2 Years of Dating

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater have parted ways for good. 

After meeting on the set of Wicked in 2022 and dating through the following summer, the singer and Broadway actor have reportedly ended their relationship.

TopMob News has reached out to Grande and Slater’s reps for comment but hasn’t heard back.

The couple’s breakup follows recent rumors about trouble in their relationship, as they hadn’t been seen together publicly much lately.

But for a while, their relationship was flying high.

Despite generally keeping their relationship private over the years, Grande would occasionally share photos of them together online. She even hinted that rumors of a split were false in November by appearing with him at the London premiere of Wicked: For Good.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always admired how supportive Slater was of Ariana Grande’s work. He truly celebrated everything she did, not just in their films together, but across all her projects – he was a genuine champion of her talent!

He told Extra at the film’s New York premiere in November that Ariana’s performance was amazing, and he also described Cynthia Erivo’s performance as unbelievable.

When his girlfriend received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 2026 Academy Awards, he shared his excitement on Instagram. He later told TopMob News that the nomination was “a really emotional and beautiful thing.”

In her first interview discussing the relationship since it became public over a year ago, the artist from Eternal Sunshine also spoke out to defend how Ethan was depicted in the media.

She insisted the tabloids had painted a completely false picture of him. According to her, he consistently goes above and beyond for those he loves, always spreading himself too thin to be there for them. She believes he has an exceptionally kind heart, and no amount of negative press could change that.

As for Ethan, he shared how difficult it was for his personal life to become.

He explained to GQ in October 2024 that it was incredibly challenging to have personal matters publicly scrutinized. With significant private changes already underway, it was frustrating to see people offering opinions without knowing the full story.

News of the couple’s relationship surfaced with rumors that it began while he was still married to Lily Jay. They finalized their divorce in 2024 and share one child together.

Grande and Slater consistently stated that their relationship began after both of their previous relationships had ended, including Ariana’s marriage to Dalton Gomez, which also concluded in the same year.

Honestly, it still hurts seeing all the awful things those trashy tabloids made up. Like, it doesn’t get any easier, you know? And filming this movie… it was such a crazy time for me personally. So much was changing in my life, and it wasn’t just me – a lot of the people working on the film were going through big stuff too. It was… a lot.

During her first interview discussing her relationship in over a year, the artist from Eternal Sunshine also spoke out to defend how Slater had been presented in the media.

She stated that the tabloids painted a completely false picture of him. She emphasized that he consistently goes above and beyond for those he cares about, always spreading himself thin to be there for them. She believes he has an exceptionally kind heart, and no amount of negative tabloid reporting could ever change that.

As for Slater, he shared how difficult it was for his personal life to become.

He explained to GQ in October 2024 that it was incredibly challenging to have personal matters publicly scrutinized. With significant private changes already underway, it felt especially frustrating to hear opinions from those unaware of the full story.

Okay, so he basically said that falling for Ariana on the set of the movie was the best year of his life – a truly beautiful experience, and honestly, can you blame him?! It just sounds magical, doesn’t it? Like something out of a movie itself! I’m telling you, they were meant to be!

For a look back on Slater and Grande’s relationship, read on. 

In July 2023, news outlets reported that Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater had recently started dating after meeting while filming Wicked. Then, in early September 2023, Grande quietly showed her support for Slater by liking a post celebrating his role in the Broadway show Spamalot.

Later that month, the pair were first spotted together at Disney World – a place Ariana Grande loves. Photos published by TMZ showed them walking through the Florida theme park holding hands.

According to a source familiar with Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s relationship, they recently spent time with a large group of friends and family – including Grande’s mother and brother – and appear to be very happy together and a positive influence on each other.

TMZ published photos showing the two actors displaying affection during a dinner date in New York City. Shortly after, Ariana Grande attended a preview performance of Spamalot on Broadway to support her costar, who was playing the roles of The Historian and Prince Herbert.

Ariana Grande looked happy as she left the St. James Theater with friends, wearing a paper crown she got at the show and carrying a Playbill.

Ariana Grande went to the opening night of Spamalot and shared photos from the evening on Instagram. She wore a chic black dress with sheer gloves and carried a Spamalot cup. Her post also included a shout-out to the cast, including her brother Frankie, wishing them well on their Broadway debut.

Ariana Grande recently shared a glimpse of her holiday decorations on Instagram in December 2023. A photo of her Christmas tree included a unique ornament – a Spam can – which immediately caught the attention of fans. They noticed the connection to her boyfriend, Ethan Slater, who was performing in the Broadway musical Spamalot at the time.

On Dec. 23, 2023, the couple stepped out with Grande’s father Ed Butera for dinner in New York City. 

Also in that month, Ariana Grande hinted at new music, and later announced her album, Eternal Sunshine, in early 2024. While the album doesn’t directly mention her boyfriend, fans noticed that the album’s initials, E.S., match his initials, which some believe is intentional.

Ariana Grande and her former husband, Dalton Gomez, officially divorced in March 2024. Later that summer, her brother, Frankie Grande, publicly supported her new relationship.

“I love him,” Frankie said of Slater in a June 2024 interview with TooFab. “He’s a very sweet guy.”

Shortly after Frankie’s interview was published, Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater were seen together at the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals in Florida. This was their most public appearance as a couple since they began dating.

Ariana Grande publicly discussed her relationship with Ethan Slater for the first time in a September 2024 interview with Vanity Fair. She clarified that their romance didn’t begin until after both were separated from their previous partners, addressing rumors about the timeline.

She admitted it hasn’t gotten any easier dealing with the negative press from unreliable tabloids. She also shared that she experienced significant personal changes while making the movie, as did many of her colleagues.

Grande went on to defend Slater against any negativity thrown at him. 

Grande defended the person the tabloids were portraying, saying the depiction was completely inaccurate. She explained that he consistently goes above and beyond for those he loves and has a truly kind heart – something no negative press could ever change.

That same month, Slater finalized his divorce with ex Lilly Jay—with whom he shares a young son. 

Just a month after publicly cheering on Ariana Grande’s hosting of Saturday Night Live in October 2024, Ethan Slater finally spoke about their relationship and the attention it’s received.

Honestly, 2024 was just… magical. Seeing Ari and Ethan fall for each other on the Wicked set? It was the most beautiful thing ever! He told GQ it was an amazing year, and I totally get it. I’m so happy for them both! And he’s SO proud of Ari – he talked about how much she’s put into Wicked, how she’s completely dedicated herself to it. It just makes me even more excited to finally see the movie! I’m seriously obsessed with everything about this whole thing.

Even so, Slater confessed it was hard for him to regain people’s approval, especially as they held onto their old notes and writing tools.

He explained that it was incredibly challenging to have personal matters become public and subject to scrutiny. With so much private change already happening, it felt especially difficult to deal with uninformed opinions from outsiders.

He managed to tune out most of the distractions. When asked about Ariana Grande’s song “Imperfect For You,” which many believe is about him, he simply said, “I love that song.”

During a brief visit to Sydney, Australia, stars Kara Lindsay and Jackie Burns, who were promoting the musical Wicked, shared a friendly hug at a press event.

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2026-06-09 01:48