Ariana Grande and her Wicked castmate Ethan Slater have reportedly officially ended their relationship after nearly three years of dating. According to a new report by People, the musical duo actually parted ways in secret several months ago, successfully keeping their breakup completely hidden from the public eye. An insider disclosed to the publication that the decision to split was entirely amicable, noting that the performers took a great deal of time to evaluate their situation before going their separate ways. “They are still friends and very supportive of one another,” the source revealed, adding that the actress is doing great.
This secret separation follows a rocky timeline filled with stop-and-start friction. A source told Daily Mail that the pair hit a major “rough patch” toward the end of last year, during which their future felt completely uncertain. While sources claimed they attempted to repair the tension, their bond had reportedly gone “on and off” with heavy strain behind the scenes. Speculation about a quiet breakup originally arose in mid-2025 when the co-stars stopped interacting on social media and ceased making joint appearances. Although Slater tried to shoot back at the rumors by posting supportive Instagram stories when Grande won big at the MTV Video Music Awards, insiders now confirm that their romance was already fading.
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Their romantic journey began with a major scandal in late 2022, when they met on the United Kingdom set of Wicked. At the time, Grande was married to property broker Dalton Gomez, while Slater was with his high school sweetheart, Lilly Jay, who had just given birth to their son in August 2022. By July 2023, both filed for divorce to pursue each other, triggering fierce media backlash. Jay famously broke her silence to Page Six, blasting Grande as “not a girl’s girl” and writing a deeply personal essay for The Cut about navigating a public postpartum split. Though Grande vehemently defended Slater’s character to Vanity Fair and dropped tracks like “Yes, And?” to slam the tabloids, the heavy pressure continued to loom over their connection.
Over on social media, internet sleuths are dissecting the quiet split with plenty of harsh takes. On a popular Reddit discussion forum, fans noted that the writing had been on the wall for months. “Honestly not surprised at all. The way this relationship started was messy, and it always felt like they were just trying to survive the movie press tour,” a user shared on Reddit. Another commentator added on X, “I guess the eternal sunshine didn’t last. Staying together just to finish a sequel must have been exhausting.”
Despite the emotional fallout, the vocal powerhouse is moving forward. Grande is currently focused on her Eternal Sunshine concert tour, which officially kicked off on June 6, and is gearing up for her upcoming studio album, Petal, on July 31. She recently dropped a vulnerable single titled “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” which fans suspect chronicles her final days with her former flame. Meanwhile, Slater is keeping a low profile following the conclusion of his off-Broadway play Marcel on the Train.
This story Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater Quietly Split Months Ago After ‘On‑Off’ Romance, Source Claims first appeared on InTouch Weekly. Follow InTouch Weekly on Yahoo so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
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