Wicked co-stars Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s real-life relationship rollout has come with a lot of drama. More sources have spoken to TMZ and Us Weekly about Slater’s ex-wife Lilly Jay’s feelings about Grande and Slater’s romance.
Slater and Jay were high school sweethearts, together for 10 years and married in 2018. They welcomed their first child in August 2022. Slater had shared tributes to Jay on Instagram in November 2022 and, notably, for Mother’s Day 2023, a post that Grande even liked.
A source close to the situation told TMZ that Grande and Slater are purposely avoiding the limelight as both their ex-spouses process the fact they’ve moved on with each other. Grande, of course, is still technically married to Los Angeles real estate agent Dalton Gomez.
“It’s understandable that emotions are high and it’s hard seeing your ex move on, especially in such a public way, and her friends are trying to protect her [Jay],” the source said. “But Ari and Ethan are just trying to lay low and be respectful of their exes as they pursue this new relationship.”
But Jay is devastated, sources have made clear. They told TMZ that Jay feels “like [Slater has] completely turned his back on his family” and that she feels “betrayed and heartbroken.” TMZ noted that Grande and Slater’s romance started “several months ago.”
A source painted a more gutting picture of the situation to Us Weekly, saying that Slater just recently broke up with Jay. “Ethan sat Lilly down a few days before the news broke about him and Ariana and said that he wanted a divorce,” the source said. “Lilly never saw it coming!” A source close to Grande denied this.
A third source said that Slater and Grande “were separated when they started dating and the relationship is recent. It’s understandable that it’s difficult to see an ex move on, especially in such a public way, and they are trying to be as respectful as possible.”
Apparently, the Wicked crew knew about Slater and Gomez. “Ariana and Ethan weren’t careful,” a source told Us. “They’d hold hands on set in between takes. They were sloppy and not hiding it.”
Earlier this week, Entertainment Tonight reported that Gomez is having trouble accepting the end of his two-year marriage to Grande, too. “Dalton is having a hard time after his breakup with Ariana,” the source said. “It has been a difficult time for him because he wanted to make things work. He still has a lot of love for her and still considers her his partner, but she has moved on. Dalton’s friends are encouraging him to do the same.”
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Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.