Ariana Grande’s new relationship is ‘much different than what has been portrayed’

Lilly Jay says her family is “collateral damage” in her estranged husband Ethan Slater’s romance with co-star Ariana Grande. Photo / Getty Images

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater are reportedly still together and doing their best to navigate their new relationship in the spotlight, multiple insiders have told People.

“While this entire situation has been blown out of proportion, it’s much different than what has been portrayed in public,” says a pal of both Grande and Slater, who met while working on the film adaptation of Wicked.

“They are just trying to navigate their new relationship in private,” the insider revealed.

“People have tried to question the timeline,” a close family source notes of the couple, who were friends and costars prior to making it official.

Their romance allegedly began after Grande’s separation from her husband Dalton Gomez and Slater’s split from his wife Lilly Jay. “The truth is, Ariana and Ethan didn’t begin seeing each other until after both parties were separated, respectfully,” adds the close family source.

Another insider told People that Grande and Slater “are doing their best to balance the fact that they are in the public eye with the desire to be respectful to all parties involved.”

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater smile in a photo shared by Michelle Yeoh in March. Photo / Instagram

Slater is putting all his focus into being a father to his infant son, whom he and Jay welcomed a year ago, another friend told People: “Ethan’s priority will always be to co-parent his son.”

Grande separated from her real estate agent husband Gomez in January, a year and a half after the pair tied the knot in May 2021. An insider confirmed the split to the publication shortly after the Side to Side singer’s new relationship made headlines a few months ago.

After news of Grande and Gomez’s split went public, an insider told People that the decision to go their separate ways was amicable.

The close source added that the marriage “didn’t work” after the Grammy-winner moved to London to film Wicked and the pair were forced to navigate long distance, but revealed “Ari has nothing but kind words to say about Dalton. During their marriage, he was her No. 1 fan.”

Ariana Grande as Glinda on the set of Wicked. Picture /Bav Media/Splash News/Media Mode

The pop star is set to play Glinda, while her new beau Slater will play Boq, in Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical.

The cast began shooting in the UK in 2022 and the film was set to hit screens in November 2024, however, it is not known if the SAG-AFTRA strike will affect its release date.