Who Is Ariana Grande's Boyfriend? All About Her 'Wicked' Costar Ethan Slater

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater both star in the movie adaptation of 'Wicked'

Ariana Grande is so into Ethan Slater.

In July 2023, PEOPLE learned that the pop star and her Wicked costar were dating. The news of her relationship broke just days after PEOPLE confirmed that Grande had split from her then-husband, Dalton Gomez.

Slater is also separated from his wife, Lilly Jay. He filed for divorce on July 26, 2023.

In September 2023, a friend close to Grande and Slater told PEOPLE that the couple's relationship is "much different than what has been portrayed in public." A close family friend added, “People have tried to question the timeline. The truth is, Ariana and Ethan didn’t begin seeing each other until after both parties were separated, respectfully."

Here’s everything to know about Grande’s boyfriend.

He stars opposite Ariana Grande in Wicked

Slater was first confirmed to star in the Wicked movie in December 2022, almost a year after Grande’s casting was announced. Grande plays Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba, and Slater plays Boq, whose character has a crush on Glinda but eventually becomes the romantic interest of Elphaba’s younger sister Nessarose.

In December 2022, Chu confirmed that filming had begun in the U.K., which is presumably when Grande and Slater first met.

He’s best known for his role as SpongeBob SquarePants

Like Grande, Slater has roots on Broadway and connections to Nickelodeon. The actor originated the role of SpongeBob SquarePants in the 2017 Broadway musical of the same name, for which he received a Tony nomination and won a Drama Desk Award.

He went to Vassar College

Slater attended Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School and Georgetown Day School before attending Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. He was a sophomore at the school when he booked SpongeBob SquarePants; he previously told PEOPLE landing the role “was a stroke of luck,” after meeting the casting director during a theater apprenticeship.

He filed for divorce from his wife in July 2023

In November 2018, Slater married high school classmate Lilly Jay, whom he had been dating since 2012. Throughout the course of their relationship, Slater gave many glimpses of their romance, including loving tributes to Jay.

“My best friend. 4 years married, 10 years together. And this is easily the best (and most *bizarre*) year yet,” he captioned a post from November 2022 documenting their wedding anniversary.

Jay also supported him at various industry events, including the 2018 Tony Awards, when he was nominated for best performance by a leading actor in a musical for his role in SpongeBob SquarePants.

Amid Slater and Grande’s dating news, a source told PEOPLE that Slater is “separated from his wife." However, it remains unclear when they split.

Jay spoke to Page Six shortly after Slater filed for divorce on July 26, 2023.

"[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl,” she told the outlet. “My family is just collateral damage.”

He is a dad

In January 2023, Slater revealed that he and Jay had welcomed their first child by sharing a photo of a onesie that read “Wicked Cute.” “Super vague post, but we have a baby now,” he wrote, later confirming on Mother’s Day that they’d welcomed a son.

He and Grande attended the 2024 Stanley Cup Final

The couple were spotted at game one of the Stanley Cup Final in June 2024. Grande and Slater, who were decked out in Florida Panthers gear, watched the team face off against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

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