When Ethan Slater was cast in the Wicked film adaptations, he presumably knew that the hotly-anticipated two-part epic would serve as his big break and change his life. What he probably didn’t expect was that he was going to become one of the most talked about men on the planet.
As a result of him starting a relationship with singer Ariana Grande, who he met on the set of the Jon M. Chu film after she was cast as Glinda in Wicked back in 2021, Ethan’s name has become pretty well known. Pictures of Ethan carrying the train of Ariana's gown or looking lovingly at her on the red carpet have been going viral recently, but many still aren't fans of the couple.
Ethan and Ariana’s budding relationship hasn’t been without its controversy as Ethan was still married to wife Lilly Jay – with whom he welcomed son Ezra in August 2022 - when he and Ariana first met. As for Ariana, she was still married to realtor Dalton Gomez. As a result, the pair have been dealing with (unverified) accusations from fans and even Lilly Jay’s friends who believe that there was some overlap in the relationships.
Even Ethan’s ex-wife Lilly Jay has said, ‘[Ariana’s] the story, really. Not a girl’s girl. My family is just collateral damage.’ There have since been reports that Lilly Jay was unaware that she was on the record when giving these quotes and has tried to redact her statement, but again, these are unverified.
Ariana, however, may not have spoken publicly about Ethan, but her subsequent single Yes, and? is thought to be her response to the accusations levelled against the couple.
As Ethan and Ariana’s relationship continues to hit headlines, here’s everything you need to know about Ethan Slater.
How old is Ethan Slater?
Born in Washington D.C. on 2 June 1992, Ethan is 32 years old.
How tall is Ethan Slater?
Ethan is thought to come in at 5ft 7 in comparison with Ariana’s petite 5 ft 2.
What movies has Ethan Slater starred in?
Whilst the upcoming Wicked movies – the first of which is set to be released December 2024 – mark Ethan’s big break (he’s set to play Boq, the munchkin that begins a relationship with Elphaba’s sister Nessa Rose), the actor had previously appeared in smaller films such as The Man Behind the Camera (2021) and Intervenors (2022).
What TV series has Ethan Slater starred in?
Ethan has appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Murphy Brown and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
What theatre productions has Ethan Slater starred in?
Ethan is probably best known for his role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the musical of the same name, originating the role in Chicago in 2016 before moving to Broadway the following year.
As well as receiving positive reviews from critics, Ethan was nominated for a Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical in 2018.
More recently, Ethan starred in the Broadway revival of Spamalot as Prince Herbet/The Historian.
What is Ethan Slater’s net worth?
As a result of his successful acting career, Ethan is reportedly worth just under £3million.
Who are Ethan Slater’s parents?
Ethan parents are Jay Slater – who works for the Food and Drug Administration - and Ellen Goldmuntz – who worked as a lawyer but sadly passed away when Ethan was a child.
Who is Ethan Slater’s ex-wife, Lilly Jay Slater?
Ethan and Lilly Jay were childhood sweethearts who tied the knot in 2018, six years after they began dating.
Lilly Jay works as a psychology lab assistant, who completed her dissertation in December 2020.
Does Ethan Slater have kids?
In August 2022, Ethan and Lilly Jay welcomed their son Ezra Slater. Ethan confirmed the news in an Instagram post the following January sharing a picture of a baby’s Wicked-themed onesie with the caption, ‘Super vague post, but we have a baby now.’
How did Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande meet?
Ariana and Ethan met on the set of Wicked, which began filming in December 2022, before eventually concluding in January 2024 after the SAF-AFTRA strikes paused the process.
When did Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande begin dating?
Ariana and Ethan were first linked in March 2023, when Michelle Yeoh – who is set to play Madame Morrible in the upcoming Wicked film shared a picture of the pair sitting next to each other and their fellow cast members in a restaurant, celebrating Michelle's Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All At Once.
On 15 May 2023, things got a bit confusing however, because despite rumours of a split, Ariana paid tribute to her husband of two years Dalton Gomez with a sweet Instagram post, writing, ‘I love him so’. By the end of that same month however, the photo had been deleted along with multiple others.
Then, in July, Ariana and Ethan’s relationship was ‘confirmed’ by TMZ who claimed that the pair began dating while filming Wicked.
Their first public date came in September when they spent an evening at Disney World together.
Are Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande still together?
While the pair have been tight-lipped in interviews on red carpets about the nature of their relationship, they have made no secret of the fact that they're still together. One reporter asked Ethan how he felt having fallen in love while making this film, to which he replied, 'What a lovely question,' and proceeded to praise Ariana's work ethic in a very well media trained answer. This along with them staring lovingly into each other's eyes at various Wicked premieres confirms that despite the early controversy, they're still going strong. The pair are even reportedly living together full-time in New York, although this has yet to be confirmed by the couple.
Are Ethan Slater and Frankie Grande related?
Despite multiple social media users hailing the physical similarities between Ethan and Ariana’s brother, Frankie Grande, the pair aren’t related.
Daisy Hall is a News and Entertainment writer on Grazia, specialising in TV and film meaning that you can count on Daisy for the latest (and best) recommendations.