For much of the past year, there have been consistent rumors about the sorry state of Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s relationship. Back in 2023, Ariana and Ethan worked together on Wicked, and long story short, Ari and Ethan had an affair which caused both of them to divorce. Ariana was probably already on the outs with her husband Dalton Gomez, but Ethan left his wife and baby for Ari and it was messy AF. Ari had no choice but to try to put a bow on the affair and try to make it seem like she and Ethan were the real deal. The problem? Ariana basically loses interest in guys after about two years. Ethan was living on borrowed time. Now they’re officially done. People Magazine says they’ve been done for months.
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater have called it quits. A source tells PEOPLE that the Wicked costars have ended their relationship after nearly three years of dating.
“It’s amicable, they gave lots of time and careful consideration and decided to go their separate ways,” the source says. “They are still friends and very supportive of one another. They have been quietly broken up for several months.”
The insider adds that Grande, 32, is “doing great,” and has been focused on her Eternal Sunshine tour, which kicked off on June 6, and the upcoming release of her album Petal on July 31.
TMZ got the same basic statement about “the split is amicable” and they’re “supportive of one another.” TMZ’s source (Ari’s publicist) also insists that Ariana’s new album is not about Ethan or their split. Meanwhile, People Magazine’s source (still Ari’s publicist) makes it sound like the split was timed specifically around Ariana’s tour.
Several months after her split from Ethan Slater, Ariana Grande is “doing great” and remains focused on her flourishing career. Grande, 32, kicked off her Eternal Sunshine tour on June 6, and is scheduled to be on the road through early September. During that time, she’ll also release a new album, titled Petal, on July 31.
A source tells PEOPLE that the star is “incredibly focused on preparing for her tour.”
“She’s seemed very happy. It’s all been very positive vibes,” the source says. “Being able to reconnect with fans after so many years made her very excited.”
Grande last toured in 2019, and the insider notes that the “Supernatural” singer was “all about work” this spring to get her show in shape.
“She’s been wanting to give her fans an amazing show and has put so much work into the show,” the source adds. “Kicking off her tour was very emotional for her.”
The tour kick-off came just before a separate source confirmed to PEOPLE that Grande and Slater, 34, “quietly” ended their relationship a few months earlier after nearly three years of dating.
Sounds like the Year of the Fire Horse hit Ariana like a 18-wheeler truck. She decided she could not spend one more second with Spongebob, and she really had no interest in having Ethan hanging around during her tour. My theory? Ariana rarely leaves a relationship clean – there’s always something messy somewhere, and I would guess that she’s already got the new guy lined up. Ari isn’t picky – it could be a backup dancer or someone involved with her tour or someone she met recording her latest album. I’m just saying – don’t be surprised when she pops out with a new boyfriend (and don’t be surprised if the guy is married or just left a relationship, because that’s Ari’s type too).
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images, Instagram.
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- Ariana Grande at the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 1065245223, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Ariana Grande, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- New York, NY – Ariana Grande and her boyfriend Ethan Slater were seen departing the National Board of Review Awards in New York City. Pictured: Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater BACKGRID USA 7 JANUARY 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Ariana Grande and her boyfriend Ethan Slater were seen departing the National Board of Review Awards in New York City. Pictured: Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater BACKGRID USA 7 JANUARY 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Ariana Grande and her boyfriend Ethan Slater were seen departing the National Board of Review Awards in New York City. Pictured: Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater BACKGRID USA 7 JANUARY 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE Ariana Grande attends the Paris premiere of ‘Wicked: For Good’, drawing attention as she greets fans and poses for photos. The singer and actress, who plays Glinda, brings star power to the red carpet in the French capital. Pictured: Ariana Grande BACKGRID USA 7 NOVEMBER 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Backgrid / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE Ariana Grande attends the Paris premiere of ‘Wicked: For Good’, drawing attention as she greets fans and poses for photos. The singer and actress, who plays Glinda, brings star power to the red carpet in the French capital. Pictured: Ariana Grande BACKGRID USA 7 NOVEMBER 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Backgrid / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- -New York, NY – 20190602 – The 64th Annual Drama Awards Arrivals -PICTURED: Ethan Slater -PHOTO by: Adam Nemser/startraksphoto.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Startraks Photo reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing Featuring: Ethan Slater Where: New York, New York, United States When: 02 Jun 2019 Credit: Adam Nemser/startraksphoto.com
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- -New York, NY – 20200305-Broadway Opening of Girl From The North Country -PICTURED: Ethan Slater -PHOTO by: JOHN NACION/startraksphoto.com This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Startraks Photo reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Ethan Slater Where: New York, New York, United States When: 05 Mar 2020 Credit: JOHN NACION/startraksphoto.com
“ Ethan left his wife and baby for Ari and it was messy AF.”
That should be NEWBORN baby. (Either way it’s very bad…)
I hope he fades into obscurity and is only a footnote on AG’s Wikipedia page. Her show looks boring AF. Girl cannot dance.
My only response to this piece of news was a giant ‘bwahahahaha’.
I only feel sorry for his ex wife and I do really hope she enjoys this karma anf doesn’t get him back.
She’ll take him back sadly. She just gives me that vibe…too forgiving and I feel she wants her family back and whole.
Lilly Jay is a practicing clinical psychologist and part of her focus is helping her patients move forward from old patterns.
I wouldn’t count on her taking him back.
Thank U, Next
I think his internet moment of fame (the cringe af Sponge Bob clip) is probably over and done too.
She looks like a Who from Who-ville.
Who cares how she dances when she can sing like THAT? Say what you will about her breaking up a family or her disordered eating but her mic is ON in all the tour clips on Twitter. She’s never sounded better IMO — probably because of all that operatic Wicked training.
Yes she’s very talented and she’ll be okay. She will have a long career and many more dysfunctional relationships. This will be a blip for her. Ethan, OTOH…
Hot take: being able to sing trills and runs doesn’t make one a good vocalist. There are plenty of more talented pop girlies.
@Tuesday – definitely a hot take lol. Most people can’t do trills and runs so I think being able to do that and sing in four different octaves including the whistle register is exactly what makes someone a premiere vocalist but that’s just me. Come for her messy personal life, sure, but acting like she’s some mediocre run of the mill pop star is lunacy to me.
I haven’t heard a single thing about her singing on tour. I’ve mostly seen posts from people concerned for her well being.
I never said anything about her vocals. Sure, she’s a talented singer. But there’s more to a tour like this than the vocals. It should be an experience. She can’t carry the type of experience she’s trying to deliver, IMO.
Gee nobody saw this coming s/. Surprised they even made it this long but I would bet things have been dunzo or at least very cooled off for awhile now. They have been soft rolling the breakup for months now.
She had to stay with him during the promotion of the second Wicked. Otherwise, her PR would have been horrific since he left his wife and baby for her. The movie was released in November 2025. Since then, behind the scenes, she was IMO slowly exiting the relationship and using “I’m busy preparing for the tour” as the reason for barely seeing him, until she eventually dumped him. Once she went on tour, she announced the breakup because she and her team knew it would get buried under the excitement of her long-awaited tour and fans following and discussing her tour.
Yup. I also wonder if they were waiting for the 3 year mark to call it off officially
This plus when was the last time they were seen in public together? I always got the impression that they broke up a long time ago but made a few couple public appearances in the meantime just for damage control.
I’m wondering if she and Cynthia were so codependent so Ethan wouldn’t be able to find a millimeter of space next to Ariana.
Cynthia was very protective of Ariana. Seems like she would have used herself to “shield” Ariana from the “unwanted attention” from Ethan or whatever her relationship with Ethan was spun as
Exactly. The bloom was off the rose after the excitement from secret trysts no longer existed when their affair was exposed and the show was over.
Thank you, Next. Moving on to the next guy in a relationship……this SpongeBob guy torched his marriage, walked out in his lovely wife and baby for this nonsense…and here I thought, what Ari and Ethan had was a love story for the ages…so sad, tear….
Yea her type is definitely “taken”. Pete was with Cassie, Mac Miller with his longtime gr, Ethan and his wife. I really don’t understand how someone can purposely blow up a couple, I mean the guys are even more at fault but she seems to thrive on taking something that should be off limits
I tend to think everything is not ok at home when anyone leaves their longtime partner for someone else. It’s think it takes that someone else to recognize what’s missing in your life. It’s less about the person you just met and a more complicated look at your existing relationship.
@megan
So many therapist and psychologist would disagree. In some instances, yes. But that’s a sign that you need to step back from the possible affair partner and work on what you have. Not have a full blown affair because you weren’t willing to do the work to figure out what you are feeling or lacking that’s driving this attraction
@Megan – In Ethan’s case, there was a new baby at home and he wasn’t the center of attention anymore. Not unexpected, new father syndrome is a thing, the solution is to work through the challenges (see @Starry Owl above). It was easier to take up with someone else to get the attention he was missing, probably had stars in his eyes about where he would go being with Ariana. And here we are.
Some people really enjoy the conquest and the validation of ‘winning.’ Others enjoy having a secret and deceiving their partner. There really are bad actors out there. Rank dishonesty is never acceptable in a relationship that’s supposedly built on love and trust.
What do men see in her? She’s like a stick figure with a wig on. Not to be a woman-hating woman, but, if you’re going to leave your wife (who was your high school sweetheart) and your newborn child, let it be at least for someone who looks like Monica Bellucci and speaks with the compassion and authority of ….Francesca Albanese. I mean. Italians, all, goddesses aplenty.
I think the $$$$ was the main attraction, plus he probably thought her high profile would rub off on his low profile.
And sex. Big Sean said some pretty explicit things about her. So sex and the thrill of it being off limits and a power trip that this super famous woman picked them.
You should listen to both her lyrics and the lyrics that have been written about her. Mac Miller in particular let us aaaallllllllllll know. (Not that she’s cryptic about walking side to side and stuff…)
I’m Italian but while I might speak like Francesca Albanese, I’m very far from being like Monica Bellucci 🤣
I doubt my husband thinks I’m a goddess, so thank you for the compliment online stranger 😍
Ariana is rich, talented, and well-connected in film, tv, and music industries at the very least. Being in her orbit can do a lot for a struggling actor/singers career, the same way dating Leo can open doors for working models that were closed beforehand. Personally i think Ariana is funny too.
Now is all of that a good enough argument to leave your HS sweetheart and newborn child? Probably not, but there are positive qualities to her that shouldnt be ignored.
Right. But….. her relationships never last. Being in her orbit would mean investing in being in her network or being her friend. Not being a scandal that she’s going to use that same power and influence to bury.
Has he even done any interviews for wicked or appeared at at promotional events in years? I think she buried him a long time ago.
@erin There are a lot of positive qualities in a lot of people. Doesn’t mean you should blow up your family and embarrass yourself and your wife (who is very smart and seems to have a lot of positive qualities herself).
I’m sure he’ll be fine in the long run and continue to get work on broadway. Not like he was ever going to become some big movie star.
Probably not? 😒 Don’t enter into a committed relationship if you don’t plan on being committed.
Yeah and I will counter your question with what do women see in HIM?
The guy looks like a walking cure for horniness.
Good on them though because they lasted about 2 years, 11 months and 3 weeks longer than I thought they would
Women don’t see anything in him. His wife was a childhood sweetheart who blossomed into a beautiful successful woman. I suspect if they’d met as adults it wouldn’t have happened.
Ari is a permanent adolescent who had a fleeting workplace crush. If it hadn’t been him, it would have been someone else.
Dude is about to find out hard that women don’t see anything in him.
“A walking cure for horniness!” That’s the most perfect description I’ve read of that dude.
I wonder if he’ll try to crawl back to his ex (not sure if the divorce has been finalized?) wife, begging for a second chance. If so, I hope she laughs in his face. Deep down, he must realize how asinine it was for him to blow up his entire life for a fling with Ariana.
I think she is like catnip for these guys. She changes her personality to fit the situation. Plus I think it feels real and she sells it.
That lasted 3 years longer than I thought it would.
For sure. It was a workplace crush that would have fizzled quickly. Did fizzle quickly. But they’re both very immature and didn’t see it for what it was. But then after the fizzle Ari had to make it look good for PR purposes and Ethan who just blew up his life had no where else to go.
But did it really? When was the last time she talked about him in anyway besides – ohhh that’s private – or appeared with him anywhere.
She was grafted to Cynthia at all of the Wicked promotional stuff. I’m wondering how much of that was to protect her from questions about her and Ethan’s destroyed marriages.
Ethan broke up his marriage just to be dumped by Ariana.
Too bad, what an absolute fool with no one to blame but himself and Ari needs to give her head a wobble and stop being so incredibly selfish.
Which absolutely everyone saw coming. It was only a matter of time.
I wish there wasn’t a kid involved because I enjoy the karma of it all. How pathetic and embarrassing for him.
@Molly, same. I sort of love to hate this guy? But his ex-wife seems so lovely that I feel guilty about enjoying this story as pure scandalous gossip so much.
Was he in love with her or just infatuated and in disbelief this pop star wanted him? He has possibly also ruined his career.
My guess would be that it was disbelief that Ariana was interested in him, and he couldn’t resist. But who knows.
She gets off on the ego trip of someone else’s man and high of ‘new love’. Doesn’t even realize it’s not her they are attracted to, but her popularity and status. Use and be used. I hope his ex came out of this better and stronger.
While I really feel for Ethan’s ex, she’s dodged a bullet here and I hope she goes on to have the best life with her baby.
Don’t ever take him back Lilly! He’s a trashcan.
Ethan’s a grown ass man who made his own choices but anyone kinda worried for him? He blew up his entire life and now what?
The power discrepancy in that “relationship” was unreal. It seems like she love bombed him, full on theater kid “relationship at theater camp” vibes. Very theater, very omg we are the closest people have ever been, we are family – don’t talk three weeks after the play run is over.
He made his choice. He’s an adult. He’s familiar with the theater world and the weirdness of it. But – the power discrepancy makes things very complicated. Ethics and morals and values would have helped him.
Yeah the power discrepancy was a big factor.
I thought her new music video had some weird lyrics considering the relationship, but it makes much more sense now that she’s single. But no one is really surprised.
I hope Lilly is thriving in her psychology practice and life, and that their son is doing great.
That is all.
I hope the same but I would bet $$ that he’s tried to lean on her to get through this. I bet she’s always been his emotional support wife. She’s a trained professional and sees right through it but I’m sure it’s still hurtful.
Sometimes, when we’re in it, even trained professionals don’t “see it” because their hearts are involved.
I hope she’s civil to him for the sake of their child (which it sounds like she absolutely will be; she seems lovely), but doesn’t give him the time of day beyond that.
@gail – I suspected that was the case, but she’s also written some commentary on how she’s learned to be effective in her profession while under public scrutiny, so I hope her self analysis has strengthened her ability to resist emotional manipulation from her child’s father.
Her type may be “taken,” but these guys aren’t being held at gunpoint to leave their partners for her. They do it willingly; they’re grown men.
The blame needs to be spread around equally.
The moment you realize you’ve EFF’d up your entire life over some sex…..
Honestly, I find it the funniest thing that publicist is like, “the tour and album aren’t about Ethan.” Yes, Ariana bears responsibility here, but SHE wasn’t the one with a wife and baby at home, he blew up his life. She didn’t steal him: if a man’s gonna cheat, he’s gonna cheat. Doesn’t matter who crosses his path. He blew up his life and the album isn’t even about him, and he also won’t really have his fame boosted in the way he hoped.
ITA that she’s not to blame for his cheating. But she also risked a whole lot less and had a whole lot more power. This will define him for life. He’ll probably end up at a Cinnabon in Omaha while her career and bizarre love life continue to sizzle.
Not just the tour, but the Meet The Folkers movie promotion as well. For all her mess, she wants that movie star legitimacy. From the trailer, the film looks entertaining and she he going up again Robert DeNiro. I can see her wanting to clean some things up.
Ugh, she’s in that movie? I’d heard that another one was coming, but don’t know anything about the plot or cast. She irritates me *so* much — maybe it’s irrational, but here we are.
There was always something eerily prescient in observing Ari and Ethan play Glinda and Boq in Wicked and Wicked For Good…
I’m a big fan of Ariana Grande’s talent and I am a big fan of Jake Gyllenhaal’s talent but they are both messy AF on sets, getting involved with ppl they have no business coming near. At least Grande seeks out adult men but Gyllenhaal seems like he starts a pseudo-relationship with, not children, but young women in the 18-22-year-old range (google “The Movie Star and Me” essay). Both are basically seeking out an emotional support relationship while on set/in rehearsals, and off set or outside of the work context, they don’t seem to need that person or care about them at all. They both need major therapy. I’m a little surprised Maggie Gylenhaal hasn’t been able to get her brother to see a professional but I guess you can’t tell anyone anything.
Are Maggie and Jake close? She’s out there picking interesting, artsy projects while he’s busy deflowering future mega pop stars.
There was a blind item last month that she was already cheating on Sponge Bob and the break up was pending.
I love her voice but nothing else about her. She seems like a terribly selfish person, not even someone you’d want to grab a drink with.
She looks frail and sickly so far on tour, lots of Twitter talk. Hope she can get healthy and find a balance between love and eating habits that actually involves eating and not stealing another woman’s husband…
Don’t know why but I really think Mac miller was the true love of her life and she never processed his death/ self- sabotages everything since
I place more blame on her than him because she auditioned him for the role of boyfriend. Thats what hanging with his wife and baby was all about. She liked the wife, his family.
More blame on her than him? Wow! I blame both of them equally for different reasons. But he is the one who cheated on his spouse of five years, who was caring for their little eight-month-old. What a guy!
He’s a dweeby guy, without much charisma, who jumped at the chance to be with someone he thought was out of his league once she looked his way. He’s a selfish little dweeb.
I agree, Ethan is more to blame because of his wife and kid. Ari certainly has blame, but she already left her hubby. Listen to her lyrics, she has always been needy and jumped at the chance to be with a theatre nerd to help her get over her failed marriage. Sadly, her marriage and divorce did a number on her health. She sings and dances amazingly well and is beautiful,but she needs to see a truthful doctor. I will always be a fan. Can’t make me hate her.
I blame her for wrecking her own marriage and I blame him for wrecking his marriage. No one was held at gunpoint.
Ari looks emaciated. Also, the reason Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t have problems with prior husbands of his girlfriends is that they are generally too young to have been married already, especially when they age out at 25. He very publicly made an exception for 27 year old Gigi Hadid, but I don’t think she’s with him anymore. He made her a very public example that he could do “old” if he had to (but he does not). At least Ari doesn’t only do 20 to 24 year old boyfriends. Yes, it’s a low bar, but she has that, at least.
Gigi has been with Bradley cooper for like two years. Leo has been with Victoria what’s her name for a good while too. Leo and Gigi are long done. Victoria is past 25 so she’s his new proof of “growth”.
The prevailing theory on Reddit is she goes after Aaron Taylor Johnson next because they are in an upcoming movie together? Ngl the gossip would be 🔥 if that happened. I don’t think his wife would be quite as gracious as SpongeBob’s wife if Ariana set her sights on ATJ.
I don’t think she’d go after him just because his wife has quite a bit of industry power. Part of the appeal for people like her is the power play. It’s about crushing the other partner in all the ways that matter, physically, emotionally, and financially to prove you were the “better” pick all along.
There is no way that ATJ’s groomer wife lets go of him.
Veronica S., I agree. And that sounds pretty sick and aggressive.
Breaking up your family for a PR romance that nobody ended up carrying about is wild.