Ariana Grande defends Ethan Slater against tabloid rumors about their relationship

Ariana Grande has openly defended her boyfriend and Wicked co-star Ethan Slater against persistent tabloid rumors regarding their relationship. In an interview with Vanity Fair, published on Monday, September 30, Grande expressed her disappointment at how people perceived Slater amidst allegations about their love story.

This marks the first time Grande has addressed these rumors directly. Ariana Grande and Slater met on the set of Wicked, where Grande plays Glinda and Slater portrays Boq. The two actors' romance became public in July 2023, shortly after Grande separated from her ex-husband, Dalton Gomez, and Slater finalized his divorce from his ex-wife, Lilly Jay.

During the filming of Wicked, Grande experienced significant life changes, including her separation from Gomez in February 2023, followed by her divorce filing that September. Slater also went through his separation from Jay, with whom he shares a young son born in August 2022. In her interview, Grande addressed the widespread gossip, stating,

"The most disappointing part was to see so many people believe the worst version of it." She continued, describing the narrative around their relationship as "definitely a tough ride."

Rumors had suggested that both Grande and Slater were still involved with their previous partners when they began seeing each other, but Grande denied such claims.

"There couldn't be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about him," Grande told Vanity Fair, responding to accusations that Slater had walked out on his ex-wife and their son.

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Ariana Grande opens up about protecting her relationship with Ethan Slater

Ariana Grande did not hold back when defending Slater's character, saying,

"No one on this earth tries harder or spreads themselves thinner to be there for the people that he loves and cares about. There is no one on this Earth with a better heart, and that is something that no bulls–t tabloid can rewrite in real life."

Though she kept certain aspects of her relationship with Slater private, Ariana Grande hinted at their love story on her latest album, Eternal Sunshine, which spent two weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart and produced two number-one hits: Yes, And? and We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love).

Fans have speculated that the lyrics allude to her split from Gomez and the beginnings of her romance with Ethan Slater.

Ariana Grande and Slater have kept their relationship mostly out of the spotlight despite some public appearances together. In April, Grande supported Slater at his final performance in Spamalot, and in June, the couple attended the Stanley Cup finals together. The pair were also seen visiting a Disney Park and grabbing dinner with Grande's father, Ed Butera, in New York City.

Multiple sources have provided insight into the couple's dynamic.

"While this entire situation has been blown out of proportion, it's much different than what has been portrayed in public. They are just trying to navigate their new relationship in private." a friend of the couple stated.

"People have tried to question the timeline. The truth is, Ariana and Ethan didn't begin seeing each other until after both parties were separated, respectfully," another insider stated.

Slater's divorce from Lilly Jay was finalized just weeks before news of his romance with Ariana Grande emerged. The Broadway actor and Jay had been married since November 2018. Grande's recent comments defending Slater's character come after the finalization of his divorce, providing context to her response to the false narratives.

Ariana Grande and Slater are both set to star in the highly anticipated Wicked movie, with Part One scheduled for release on November 22, 2024, and Part Two slated for November 21, 2025.