Ethan Slater has seemingly responded to mounting speculation about the status of his relationship with pop superstar Ariana Grande. The move comes after insiders claimed the pair, who met on the set of the film Wicked, were heading for a separation.
Addressing the Rumours Head-On
In the wake of the split claims, Slater took to Instagram over the weekend with a telling post. This followed the release of NBC's special, Wicked: One Wonderful Night. His gallery of snaps notably featured Ariana Grande, including one backstage image showing the actress and co-star Bowen Yang in a Wicked-themed photobooth.
The couple's romance began in 2023 after they met on the set of Wicked back in 2022. Their relationship started while Slater was still married to his high school sweetheart, Lilly Jay, with whom he shares a young son. Grande had also just split from her husband, Dalton Gomez, when news of their romance broke in July 2023.
A Relationship Under the Microscope
Their relationship has been under intense scrutiny from the start. By November 2023, reports surfaced that Grande was living with Slater in New York City during his run in the Broadway musical Spamalot. The public nature of their coupling was further highlighted by the release of Grande's singles, Yes, and? and The Boy is Mine, which many critics interpreted as addressing the public backlash to their relationship.
Last month, the Daily Mail revealed that wedding plans for Ariana and Ethan were put on hold. Sources claimed they had been 'on and off' for several months, and they haven't been photographed together since April. This fuelled speculation that a silent split had occurred, with many suggesting an official announcement would be delayed until after the hype for Wicked subsided to avoid overshadowing the release and the run-up to the 2026 awards season.
Further fuel was added to the fire earlier this month by blind items. One claimed that 'Spongebob'—a clear reference to Slater's role in Spongebob Squarepants—would not be permitted to do solo press for the upcoming movie and would only attend group events. Another blind item alleged an unnamed star had given 'strict instructions' that no one could ask about her significant other during interviews.
Looking Ahead to the Wicked Premiere
Slater's Instagram post also comes just ahead of the London premiere of Wicked: For Good on November 21, which both he and Grande are expected to attend with the cast. The recent NBC special featured Grande and her co-star Cynthia Erivo performing songs from the upcoming sequel.
Sources previously indicated that the disparity in their career fame has been an obstacle. Slater himself described Grande's fans as 'ferocious and intense' in a recent interview. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the first Wicked film was a major success, raking in approximately $747.2 million on a $150 million budget and winning two Academy Awards this past March.
For now, Ethan Slater's strategic social media post has quieted the split rumours, but all eyes will be on the couple at the upcoming London premiere to see if they appear together publicly.
