Ariana Grande and her partner Ethan Slater have publicly addressed swirling rumours about the state of their relationship with a united and affectionate appearance on the red carpet. The couple attended the New York City premiere for their new film, Wicked: For Good, on Monday night, marking their first public outing together in months.
A United Front in the Big Apple
The stars, who have been dating since July 2023 after meeting on the set of the two-part Wicked film, were seen chatting warmly and presenting a solid front to the world. This high-profile appearance comes a year after Ethan finalised his divorce from his childhood sweetheart, Lily Jay, with whom he shares a three-year-old son. The pop star, 32, and the actor, 33, had not been photographed together for several months, leading to speculation that their romance was in trouble.
Just back in October, a source claimed to the Daily Mail that the pair had been 'on and off for most of this year'. However, their demeanour at the glitzy New York event seemed to firmly put those rumours to bed.
Navigating Scrutiny and Past Controversy
The couple's relationship first made headlines under a cloud of controversy. Ariana had just split from her husband, Dalton Gomez, and Ethan was still married to Lily Jay at the time. Ariana faced public criticism and was labelled a 'homewrecker' amid accusations of an affair.
The situation was further inflamed when Ethan's ex-wife, a psychologist, published a strongly-worded personal essay in New York Magazine's subset, The Cut. In the article, Lily claimed she was 'blindsided' by the relationship and detailed her struggle to 'accept the sudden public downfall of my marriage.'
Despite the rocky start, the couple have consistently supported each other's careers. They were seen together at a host of major awards ceremonies earlier in the year, including the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs, and the Oscars, while promoting the Wicked franchise. Throughout the recent press tour, they have kept their relationship largely out of the spotlight, though they have regularly shown support by liking each other's posts on Instagram.
Subtle Signals of a Strong Bond
Even during periods when they were not seen together, there were indications that their bond remained strong. In September, Ethan gave Ariana a subtle shoutout on his Instagram Story after she won big at the 2025 VMAs. Furthermore, in an interview with GQ last October, Ethan gushed about his girlfriend's talents, calling her 'one of the best comedians that’s been in a movie in a long time' and a 'genius.'
Their last public appearance before the New York premiere was in late April, when Ethan joined Ariana for a preview of the musical Little Shop of Horrors. The Daily Mail source had also claimed that while the couple had 'once discussed marriage,' it was 'no longer on the table'. However, their recent display of unity suggests they are focused on the present, successfully promoting their film, Wicked: For Good, which is in cinemas from November 21.
