Inside Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s Romance Timeline

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It turned out that Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater‘s time together was not meant to be unlimited.

The adorable couple, who first met in 2022 while filming the two-part movie directed by Jon M. Chu, have ended their nearly three-year relationship, according to TopMob News.

Rumors about a split had been circulating for a while, as the couple hadn’t been seen together publicly in about six months. The last time they were spotted together was at an after-party for Grande’s hosting gig on Saturday Night Live back in December.

For a time, they truly lived the dream, and being part of the massive production and promotion of Wicked profoundly changed everyone involved.

In an April 2023 Instagram post, Ariana expressed how real things felt, writing, “I hope this isn’t a dream.” She continued, sharing her joy for her “beautiful crew” and fellow cast members, calling them “Ozians,” and saying her heart would always remain with them.

Although it hadn’t been announced yet, the 32-year-old had split from her husband, Dalton Gomez, in February after less than two years together.

Though the exact date wasn’t public, TopMob News reported on July 17, 2023, that Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater had separated. Just three days later, sources confirmed Grande was dating Slater, who filed for divorce from his wife, Lilly Jay, on July 26. They share a three-year-old son named Ezra.

Filming for both Wicked and Wicked: For Good was temporarily stopped during the summer of 2023 because of the strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). This happened as news of the strikes began to spread.

After everything calmed down, Grande shared that she was surprised by how quickly many people blamed her for what had happened, even though it wasn’t clear what actually occurred or who was responsible.

Honestly, I was so moved by what she shared recently. She talked about feeling incredibly proud, joyful, and full of love, but at the same time, deeply hurt by how others were misinterpreting her life. It seemed like people were building stories based on rumors and assumptions, and it was really affecting her. She realized which of those feelings – the joy and love, or the misunderstanding – truly mattered more, and it was so powerful to see her articulate that.

Oh my gosh, she said it on Zach Sang’s show in February 2024, and it just wrecked me. She didn’t want to get into details, which, okay, I respect, but she described this feeling… this agony of watching people just get it wrong about the people you care about – about anyone you love, even yourself. It’s this endless, awful frustration, like a personal hell. Seriously, she gets it. It’s just… so real.

Although some rumors suggested both she and Slater were already separated when they started dating, the more widely accepted story was the scandalous one.

Seeing the negative stories published by unreliable tabloids is still difficult,” Ariana Grande told Vanity Fair in an interview last September. “I also went through a lot of personal changes while making this movie, and so did many of the people involved.

She said the hardest part was seeing so many people assume the worst, and that it was a really difficult experience.

Grande defended Slater, stating that the tabloids created a completely false and unfair image of him.

Let me tell you, I’ve known a lot of people, and this person truly goes above and beyond for those they love. They stretch themselves so thin trying to be there for everyone, and it’s just incredible. Honestly, they have one of the biggest, most genuine hearts you’ll ever find, and no amount of negativity or tabloid drama can ever change that. It’s a beautiful thing to witness, really.

Despite their busy schedules, Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater made time for fun dates, including trips to Disney World, hockey games, and Broadway shows. They also supported each other’s careers outside of Wicked. Ariana attended the previews of Ethan’s 2023 Spamalot revival, and when she released her 2024 album, eternal sunshine, Ethan publicly praised her incredible voice and songwriting abilities.

Ethan told TopMob News that she was amazing, explaining that she wasn’t trying to switch between careers. He said she was simply excellent at both singing and acting.

The 34-year-old admitted that the year leading up to the November 2024 release of Wicked was both happy and sad.

He explained to GQ that a lot was going on in his personal life, and it was upsetting to see people who weren’t aware of the details commenting and spreading inaccurate information about those he cared about. He found that particularly difficult to deal with.

Despite the challenges, Slater also described it as a fantastic year, expressing excitement and immense pride in Ari and her accomplishments.

He explained to GQ that a lot was going on in his personal life, and it was frustrating to see people who weren’t informed speculate and spread misinformation about him and his loved ones. He found that particularly difficult to deal with.

Despite the challenges, Slater also described it as a fantastic year, expressing excitement and immense pride in Ari and her accomplishments.

He happily stepped aside to let Ariana Grande shine when she received a 2025 Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress, thanks to her enchanting performance as Glinda the good witch—she and Cynthia Erivo were inseparable throughout awards season—but he did accompany her on dates to the following SAG Awards and Oscars.

Before the November premiere of Wicked: For Good, there hadn’t been much public news about the film. Things seemed normal as 2026 neared, like when Slater was seen with Grande after she hosted Saturday Night Live for the third time.

When he didn’t attend the Golden Globes in January, even though Ariana Grande was nominated again, it might have hinted at trouble brewing in their romance.

See how Grande and Slater went from friends and costars to more, and back again.

In July 2023, sources revealed that Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater had recently started dating after meeting on the set of the movie Wicked. Then, in early September 2023, Grande quietly showed her support for Slater by liking a post announcing his Broadway role in 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 hand-in-hand through the Florida theme park.

According to a source familiar with the couple, Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater recently spent time with a large group of friends and family, including Grande’s mother and brother, and seem very happy together.

Photos obtained by TMZ show the two actors displaying some affectionate behavior 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 played the roles of The Historian and Prince Herbert.

Ariana Grande looked radiant as she left the St. James Theater with friends, wearing a paper crown she received at the show and holding onto the 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 black gloves and carried a Spamalot cup. Her post also included a shout-out to the cast, including Darren Criss, wishing them well on their Broadway debut.

Ariana Grande recently shared a glimpse of her holiday decorations on Instagram in December 2023, including a Christmas tree with a playful Spam can ornament. Fans immediately 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. 

That same month, Ariana Grande hinted at new music, and in early 2024, she announced her album, Eternal Sunshine. While the album doesn’t directly mention her boyfriend, fans noticed that the album’s initials, E.S., match his initials, possibly by design.

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 Final 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 timing of their relationship.

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 film, as did many of her colleagues.

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

Grande strongly defended the person being portrayed in the tabloids, saying the depiction was completely inaccurate. She explained that he consistently goes above and beyond for those he cares about, and has an exceptionally 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. 

For the first time, Slater publicly talked about his relationship with Ariana Grande and the attention it’s received, just a month after publicly supporting her hosting Saturday Night Live in October 2024.

In a October 2024 interview with GQ, Slater described falling in love with Grande while filming Wicked as a wonderful experience. He expressed his excitement and pride in her dedication and hard work on the movie, saying she’s truly given it her all.

Even so, Slater confessed it was hard to regain people’s approval while they held onto their old ways of writing and thinking.

He explained that it was incredibly challenging to have personal issues publicly discussed and scrutinized. With so much personal change happening, it felt unfair to have people offering opinions without understanding the full story.

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 quick visit to Sydney, Australia, actresses Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, known for their roles in Wicked, shared a friendly embrace at a press event.

On June 8, a source told TopMob News the pair had “broken up after nearly three years together.”

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2026-06-09 03:48