In a move that has set tongues wagging, pop superstar Ariana Grande has made a rare public gesture towards her boyfriend, actor Ethan Slater, directly addressing swirling rumours about the state of their relationship. The 32-year-old singer took to her Instagram Stories to share a behind-the-scenes clip of Slater discussing his character's journey in the highly anticipated film Wicked: For Good.
A Rare Glimpse Into Their Private World
Grande, who typically keeps her romantic life fiercely private, broke her own social media protocol by posting the video on Thursday. The clip features Slater, 33, who plays Boq—the character who transforms into the Tin Man—reflecting on the challenges of his role. While the video focused on his acting process, its very publication served to spotlight their partnership, effectively quieting persistent speculation that the couple had parted ways.
In the video, Slater delves into the complexity of Boq's narrative. "It's a hard arc to play because it's so familiar," he explained. "You need to know what your relationship to that character is when you're making it your own or else you lose the heart." He described Boq as a character trying to find his way, haunted by friends who have left him. "He's in a body that doesn't feel his anymore," Slater said, noting the physicality of the role was a gift for an actor.
Navigating Public Scrutiny and Premiere Appearances
The Instagram post came several weeks after Slater himself inadvertently fuelled the rumour mill. During an appearance on the Today show last month, he awkwardly dodged a direct question about "working with your girlfriend everyday." Instead, he praised the "incredible" entire cast, calling Grande "brilliant" but offering no personal comments on their relationship.
This period of speculation was punctuated by their public appearances. The couple were not seen together from April until last month, leading to intense media chatter about a potential split. However, they seemingly quashed the gossip by posing side-by-side in group shots at the New York City premiere of Wicked: For Good in November.
Their London premiere for the film, however, told a different story. An insider revealed that while both attended the Leicester Square event and the after-party at Brasserie Zedel, they deliberately avoided being photographed together. "Ariana and Ethan are still a couple but they've seen the chatter online and it's not been easy," the source told The Sun. The pair reportedly reunited privately at Grande's hotel suite after the public events.
A Relationship Forged on Set and Tested in Public
Grande and Slater's romance began on the set of the two-part Wicked movie, with the second instalment, Wicked: For Good, hitting cinemas on 21 November. Their relationship was controversial from the start, as both were exiting previous marriages. Slater was married to Lilly Jay, with whom he shares a three-year-old son, and Grande had recently split from her husband, Dalton Gomez.
Despite the challenges, sources insist the pair remain together, though plans for a wedding have reportedly been put on hold. Their approach continues to be one of extreme privacy, managing a relationship that exists under the relentless glare of the public eye while promoting one of the year's biggest film franchises.
The shared video, though professional in content, stands as a strategic and rare public affirmation of their bond, using the platform of their collaborative work to silently address the personal narratives being written about them.
