Pop sensation Ariana Grande and actor Ethan Slater made a powerful statement on Monday evening, presenting a united front at the Wicked: For Good premiere in New York City and effectively silencing widespread speculation about the end of their two-year romance.
A United Front on the Red Carpet
The 32-year-old Breathin hitmaker and the 33-year-old Tony-nominated actor were all smiles as they interacted with each other and fellow cast members on the red carpet. This marked their first public appearance together in months, directly countering recent reports from a source to Daily Mail that the couple had been 'on and off for most of this year.'
Their coordinated appearance served to squash the breakup rumours that had been gaining traction, especially after Ethan chose not to accompany Ariana to the MTV VMAs following a reported argument.
A Romance Forged on Set and Scrutinised in Public
Grande and Slater first kindled their relationship while filming the two-part Wicked movie adaptation overseas. The timing of their initial romance drew significant public scrutiny, as Ariana had just separated from her husband, Dalton Gomez, and Ethan was still married to his high school sweetheart, Lilly Jay.
The situation escalated when Lilly Jay, a psychologist, published a scathing personal essay in New York Magazine's The Cut, describing the sudden collapse of her marriage as a 'darkness' she struggled to escape. This led to Ariana facing public criticism and being labelled a 'homewrecker'.
Ethan has since finalised his divorce from Lilly Jay over a year ago; the former couple share a three-year-old son, born in August 2022.
Navigating a 'Toxic' Relationship for the Sake of Wicked?
Despite their show of unity, sources close to the pair suggest the relationship has been turbulent. An insider revealed last month, 'What they have going is more than a little toxic but they’re keeping it together for now. At least until after Wicked: For Good opens.'
The source also indicated that while marriage was once discussed, it is no longer on the table, and a long-term future for the couple seems doubtful once their promotional duties for the film conclude. The second part of the Wicked movie is scheduled for release on November 21.
Before this week's New York premiere, their last joint public outing was in late April for a preview of Little Shop of Horrors, which also coincided with the last time Ethan featured on Ariana's Instagram grid.
