Ethan Slater’s estranged wife Lilly Jay has broken her silence amid his new romance with Wicked co-star Ariana Grande.
In an interview with Page Six published on 27 July, the Broadway alum’s former partner broke her silence on reports that Slater and Grande are “full-on” dating. “[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl,” Jay told the outlet. “My family is just collateral damage.”
The former couple were in a relationship for 10 years, tying the knot in 2018. Last year, the two welcomed a baby boy. According to multiple reports, the Broadway actor separated from his wife before he began dating Grande. Now, Jay has said she’s focused on being “a good mom” and raising her and Slater’s son.
“The story is her and Dalton,” the musician added, referencing Grande’s recent split from her husband, Dalton Gomez, after two years of marriage.
However, sources alleged to Page Six that Jay has been “calling every news outlet to get this story out” but acting differently toward Slater behind the scenes, while another reported that Slater is “trying to take the high road” and hopes that he can “resolve this situation for the sake of their child”.
On 26 July, Slater filed for divorce from Jay after four years of marriage. According to TMZ, the actor filed the court documents in New York City on Wednesday. Throughout their budding romance, sources have maintained that Grande and Slater are “just trying to lay low and be respectful of their exes as they pursue this new relationship”.
Now, it appears that the actors are “full-on” dating after meeting on the set of director John M Chu’s movie musical adaptation of Wicked in London.
“It was obvious on the set from early on... they were very sweet to each other and often seen laughing together,” a source told People on Thursday, despite the cast and crew assuming the two were just friends at the time. “Everyone just thought they were both happily married though and didn’t expect them to end up dating,” they said.
Just three days after it was announced Grande and Gomez have been separated since January and are “heading toward divorce,” a report from People confirmed that the 30-year-old pop star was in a relationship with the 31-year-old Broadway alum.
“Ariana and Dalton separated in January,” a source told People on 20 July. “She and Ethan recently began dating, and he is separated from his wife.”
Another shared with Entertainment Tonight: “Ariana and Ethan recently started dating. They have a lot in common and have a lot of fun. They didn’t start dating until both were broken up with their significant others. Ariana and Dalton remain friends.”
As news of their relationship broke, it was maintained that Slater had separated from Jay prior to his romance with Grande. However, his estranged wife was reportedly “blindsided” that the co-stars are now dating.
“It’s horrible. They were high school sweethearts. They have a baby! She’s a wreck,” a source told Page Six on 21 July, adding that they speculated Slater’s romance with Grande is the reason he and Jay “suddenly break up now when nothing appeared wrong between them”.
Meanwhile, TMZ claimed that Jay is “devastated her family’s been torn apart” and she’s also “upset” that their young son “won’t have both his mom and dad around constantly” now that the couple have split. The sources added that the parents “aren’t on good terms” and noted that the “Break Free” singer used to hang out with both Slater and Jay when they were still together.
Following reports that Slater and Jay were separated prior to his relationship with Grande, many fans pointed out that Grande had previously “liked” two of Slater’s posts dedicated to his wife. In one Instagram post, which was shared on Mother’s Day last May, Slater posted a faceless photo of their infant son’s ears.
“Happy first Mother’s Day to the most loving caring and wonderful mom/person in the world,” he captioned the post, in honour of Jay.
In November 2022, he celebrated their four-year wedding anniversary and 10 years of being a couple in another Instagram post. “My best friend. Four years married. 10 together. And this is easily the best (and most bizarre) yet,” he captioned a slideshow of himself and Jay over the years.
Slater has since made his Instagram account private, a move that some followers claimed “confirmed” the then-rumoured romance between him and Grande.
Neither Grande nor Slater have commented on the reports surrounding their relationship.
The Independent has contacted representatives for comment.
