From the streets of Broadway to the movie sets of Hollywood, celebrities often find themselves amid whirlwind romances and fiery breakups. Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater‘s budding relationship, surrounded by much speculation, mystery, and media frenzy, is no exception. Let’s delve into the surprising and complicated timeline of their alleged love affair, piecing together the moments from various sources and reports.
2018-2021: The Foundations
Ethan Slater, notably recognized for his role as Spongebob Squarepants on Broadway, has been happily married to his high school love, Lilly Jay, since 2018. In contrast, Ariana Grande walked down the aisle with Dalton Gomez in May 2021.
November 2022: Slater’s bond with Jay seemed unshakeable when he passionately posted on Instagram about their relationship, captioned, “My best friend. 4 years married, 10 years together. And this is easily the best (and most bizarre) year yet.” Intriguingly, Ariana Grande hit the ‘like’ button on this post.
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Wicked Beginnings: December 2022
Ariana flew to the UK to film the much-anticipated musical movie, Wicked, where she stars as the iconic good witch Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. But while the lights shone bright on set, shadows loomed over her personal life. Reports suggested her relationship with Gomez was strained, and “the distance did not help.”
2023: A Year of Revelations and Controversies
January: News leaked that Grande and Gomez had gone their separate ways. Yet, it wasn’t until July that this information made its way to the mainstream via a TMZ report.
March 27: Rumors began to swirl after insiders mentioned that Grande and Slater appeared quite close at Michelle Yeoh’s Oscars Party.
May 14: Amidst the rising chatter, Slater continued to celebrate his family, sharing a touching Mother’s Day post for his wife on Instagram, which Grande interestingly ‘liked.’
July 16: A solo Grande was seen at Wimbledon, notably without her wedding ring. The very next day, news broke that she and Gomez had separated.
July 20: Media outlets were abuzz with sources confirming Grande’s recent romantic connection to Slater. Statements varied, but the narrative was consistent: Ariana and Ethan were the new talk of the town.
July 21: As the news spread like wildfire, Slater’s wife, Jay, was reportedly left in shock and heartbreak, especially given their history as high school sweethearts and recent parenthood.
July 25: New developments surfaced alleging Grande and Slater’s openness about their budding relationship during the Wicked shoot. Not only were they apparently not discreet about their bond, but Slater reportedly told his wife about his new relationship mere days before it became public knowledge.
July 26: A major turn of events witnessed Slater filing for divorce from Lilly Jay.
July 27: Jay reportedly told Page Six that her family felt like “collateral damage” in this unfolding drama.
August 3: A controversial report by the Daily Mail suggested that Grande and Slater might have ignited their romance much before it became public knowledge, with sightings of them being affectionate in various public settings.
September 1: As the storm of speculations raged on, some sources came forward to claim that the situation might not be as scandalous as portrayed. Statements to People magazine suggest the relationship began only after both were separated and that they were trying to handle the situation privately and respectfully.
The Path Ahead
With conflicting reports and high emotions, only time will reveal the true nature of Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s relationship. For now, the world watches, speculates, and awaits more clarity in this intricate web of love, heartbreak, and celebrity drama.
Source: Glamour
