Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater fell for each other on the set of Wicked, but their romance couldn’t stand the test of time. The former couple reportedly called it quits sometime earlier this year, and now that Ariana has embarked on her world tour, fans are wondering what led to her and Ethan’s breakup.
As fans of Ari already know, her relationship with the Broadway actor sparked controversy when it was revealed in July 2023, the same month that Ethan filed for divorce from his ex-wife, Lilly Jay. The co-parents were high school sweethearts, and they share a child together. As for Ariana, the “7 Rings” pop singer had separated from her ex-husband, Dalton Gomez, earlier that year.
Here’s what we know so far about Ethan and Ariana’s split.
Ariana and Ethan kept most of the details of their relationship away from the public eye, but news of their romance surfaced in July 2023. They had met in December 2022 when they began filming Wicked.
Neither Ariana nor Ethan has publicly addressed their breakup. However, according to People, their split was “amicable” and the exes “gave lots of time and careful consideration and decided to go their separate ways.”
“They are still friends and very supportive of one another,” a source told the outlet in June 2026. “They have been quietly broken up for several months.”
Ethan subtly showed his support for his former girlfriend by “liking” one of her Instagram posts amid her Eternal Sunshine Tour.
