Signs Ariana Grande And Ethan Slater Are More Serious Than We Thought

Ariana Grande is saying "thank u, next" and moving on from her marriage to Dalton Gomez with her "Wicked" co-star, Ethan Slater. Speculation surrounding the Grammy-winning musician and Gomez potential split began circulating in July, per TMZ. After three years of marriage, Grande and Gomez called it quits and filed for divorce in September, per Billboard. But before the musician even signed the divorce papers, she had already reportedly moved on with her co-star.

Slater and Grande are said to have met on the set of their upcoming film, "Wicked." Slater plays the role of Boq, a munchkin in love with Glinda, played by Grande. So, it looks like that chemistry may have come off the screen and into real life. Similar to Grande, Slater was married when he first signed on for the film. He and his ex-wife, Lily Jay, even welcomed a child in 2022, but things changed quickly when news broke that Grande and Slater were exploring a romantic connection. The two were bashed online for the abrupt ends to their respective marriages and for moving on so quickly, as they may have taken Grande's song, "break up with your girlfriend, I'm bored," a little too seriously.

The "Wicked" co-stars' reported relationship began in March, per the Daily Mail. And while some fans may think it's just a fling, some signs point to Grande and Slater's relationship being more serious than some might have thought.

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's new romance got everyone talking. Many were in disbelief at how the two could move on so quickly from their marriages — especially Slater. It didn't help that the "The Spongebob Musical: Live on Stage!" actor's ex-wife, Lily Jay, broke her silence amid all the chaos. She told Page Six, "[Ariana's] the story, really. Not a girl's girl. My family is just collateral damage." Jay's statement made Grande and Slater's relationship look icky and many have thrown criticism toward the new couple. However, it hasn't stopped the "Wicked" co-stars from continuing their relationship.

In August, a source told Us Weekly that the "7 Rings" singer would love to be public with Slater. They shared, "Ariana's been told it's too soon to go public with him and to take things slower. She's very aware of how she's perceived by her fans, and she's trying to be mature. [But] if it were up to her, she'd be seen with him tomorrow." However, taking things slow isn't their strong suit because, by the following month, the couple was seen at the happiest place on Earth.

While they might have tried to lay low, fans spotted the two co-stars visiting Disney World for a date night, per TMZ. The two were photographed holding hands and being cozy with one another as they enjoyed their day at the park. It seems like nothing can stop the two from pursuing their relationship.

When Ariana Grande is "Into You" there's no limit to the speed at which her relationship will move. We have seen it with Pete Davidson, whom she got engaged to just a couple of months after they first started dating. In 2018, She also defended her fast-moving relationship with the comedian on X, formerly known as Twitter, per HuffPost. In a now-deleted tweet, Grande shared, "forreal. the truth is i been the f**k thru it and life's too short to be cryptic n s**t about something as beautiful as this love I'm in. so ǝʇǝԀ it is." Love is never something the Grammy-winning musician messes with, and it looks like her relationship with Ethan Slater may be headed in that direction — especially because their romance is moving quickly (literally).

According to a source from Us Weekly, as of October, Slater and Grande are living together in New York City. The source revealed, "Ethan informed his friends and soon-to-be ex-wife [Lilly Jay] that he's living with Ariana full-time in New York." The two have only known one another for less than a year and only romantically started connecting in March, but that doesn't seem to matter to the couple. Slater and Grande's living situation seems to prove that they are in it for the long haul whether people like it or not.

Ariana Grande is undoubtedly one of the biggest pop stars in the world and she needs someone who is going to understand her fame and artistic side. It looks like she might have found that with Ethan Slater. Slater has been acting for quite some time, having starred in projects like "The Spongebob Musical: Live on Stage!" and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Because of this, he's familiar with the entertainment industry, although maybe not to the extent of the "Break Free" singer, but the two have some common ground and Grande seems to appreciate that.

Slater and Grande's relationship is still going strong as a source revealed to ET that they are "on the same page" with their romance. Not only that, but they are also "very excited about their relationship." Grande, in particular, is reportedly looking forward to her future with Slater as he has a deeper understanding of who she is as a person and artist. The source shared, "Ariana thinks Ethan is ridiculously talented, likes that they can relate to each other and that he challenges her; artistically speaking."

Slater, too, is infatuated with Grande. The source revealed, "Ethan wants the best for Ariana and for themselves as a couple. They support and elevate one another." So, while everyone may not be on board with the new romance brewing, their actions demonstrate that they have the potential to have a long-lasting relationship.