Almost two years ago now, Ariana Grande and her boyfriend Ethan Slater met on the set of Wicked. And, just a few months later, rumors that their co-star relationship had developed into a full-on romance hit the headlines and shocked the world.
Among the sources at the time, Page Six reported in August 2023 that Grande and Slater’s relationship began as early as March, with them being accused of being “sloppy on set” with PDA. The source then listed two instances where the couple didn’t hide their relationship from their friends and co-stars. “They were seen making out at a pub in Hampstead, and they were all over each other at Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar party [in March],” the source said.
All About Ethan Slater’s Ex-Wife, Lilly Jay & Her Response to His Relationship With Ariana Grande
Of course, these claims came as a surprise to fans. After all, Slater was still very much married to his ex-wife Lilly Jay in March. “They were seen being all over each other while he was still supposedly happily married to Lilly,” the source said.
Slater ended up filing for divorce a few months later, on July 26, 2023.
Grande, for her part, filed for divorce from her ex-husband Dalton Gomez on September 18, 2023, and the listed date of separation was February 20, 2023. Their divorce was finalized on March 19, 2024.
Most recently, Grande seemingly confirmed the affair in a newly-released song from her new album, eternal sunshine deluxe: brighter days ahead. In the bonus track “Hampstead,” Grande sings about that night with Slater in a “pub in Hampstead.”
“I left my heart at a pub in Hampstead / And I misplaced my mind in a good way,” she sings, per Genius. “Threw away my reputation, but saved us more heartache / Yes, I know it seems f— up and you’re right / But quite frankly, you’re still wrong about everything / So far off, your seat’s nowhere near the table / But I find something sweet in your peculiar behavior / ‘Cause I think to be so dumb must be nice.”
In the chorus, she then sings about throwing caution to the wind and taking the risk. “What’s wrong with a little bit of poison? Tell me,” she sings. “I would rather feel everything than nothing every time / I’d rather be seen and alive than dying by your point of view.”
So there it is: Grande is not-so-subtly confirming those early rumors with Slater back in Hampstead. From the looks of it, there’s no longer any point in them denying the affair rumors during his marriage. It seems both Grande and Slater knew what they were doing and chose the “little bit of poison,” aka their relationship, above all else.
Before you go, click here to see more co-star couples we’ll always wonder about.
