The relationship between Ariana Grande and her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater has attracted significant public attention and controversy, primarily due to the timing of their romantic involvement and their respective marital statuses at the onset of their relationship.

Timeline of Events

• December 2022: Production for Wicked commenced, with Grande cast as Glinda and Slater as Boq. At this time, Grande was married to Dalton Gomez, and Slater was married to his high school sweetheart, Lilly Jay, with whom he shares a child.

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• July 2023: Reports emerged that Grande and Gomez had separated earlier in the year. Subsequently, it was revealed that Grande and Slater had begun dating. Shortly after these revelations, Slater filed for divorce from Jay.

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Public Reaction and Allegations

The unfolding of these events led to widespread public scrutiny, with several key concerns:

• Perceived Overlap: The close succession of their separations and the commencement of their relationship led to speculation about potential infidelity.

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• On-Set Behavior: Reports suggested that Grande and Slater were openly affectionate on set, with claims of them being "sloppy" and engaging in public displays of affection while still married to their respective spouses.

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• Ex-Spouse's Perspective: Lilly Jay, Slater's ex-wife, expressed feeling that her family had become "collateral damage" in the wake of the new relationship.

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Responses from Grande and Slater

Both Grande and Slater have addressed the controversy:

• Ariana Grande: She expressed disappointment over the public's readiness to "believe the worst version" of events, emphasizing that the widely accepted narrative was inaccurate.

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• Ethan Slater: He acknowledged the challenges of having personal matters scrutinized publicly, stating that significant changes were genuinely occurring in their private lives, making it difficult to see uninformed public commentary.

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Despite their assertions that their relationship began only after their respective separations, the timing and circumstances have continued to fuel public debate and speculation.

Writer's Bio: Driven by a fascination with how young people learn, grow, and connect, Laura N. Larsson has spent years researching the role of play and social media in child and adolescent development. Since 2012, she has combined her ecommerce background with in-depth interviews of children and teenagers, producing insightful articles that explore the evolving interplay between play, communication, and online interaction. Read more articles by this author