Ethan Slater's estranged wife Lilly Jay is opening up for the first time about her husband's new relationship with his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande.
In an interview with Page Six, Jay broke her silence after news broke that Slater was reportedly dating the "Thank U Next" singer.
"[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl," Jay told Page Six. "My family is just collateral damage."
Jay says her main priority now is raising her's and Slater's son who they welcomed about a year ago.
The situation between the former partners seems to be getting messier by the day.
It doesn't look like Page Six only spoke to Jay, but several sources as well and some appear to be backing Slater.
"She’s [Jay's] rightfully upset because her marriage fell apart, but Ariana and Ethan didn’t do anything wrong," one source told Page Six.
According to the report, Slater and Jay had been separated for two months before Slater began "romancing" Grande.
Grande and Slater have not addressed their potential new relationship publicly and Slater even set his Instagram profile to private mode after their romance made headlines.
It isn't just Slater and Jay's relationship that is in the limelight. Just a few days ago, several outlets reported that Grande was also headed for a divorce from her husband of two years, Dalton Gomez.
With all the drama going on, there is a lot to unpack, especially the timeline of everything that's happened.
Here's everything we know about Slater and Grande, their potential new relationship and their former partners.
Who is Ethan Slater?
Ethan Slater at the 2018 Tony Awards Meet the Nominees press junket.
Ethan Slater, 31, is an actor and writer who recently starred as SpongeBob in the SpongeBob Musical on Broadway, according to ethanslater.com.
The website also says he earned a Tony nomination for his role.
Throughout his acting career, Slater has starred in TV shows like Fosse/Verdon, Murphy Brown and Law and Order: SVU.
Who is Ethan Slater's wife?
Lilly Jay and Ethan Slater at the 2018 Tony Awards.
Slater and his estranged wife met in high school and got married in 2018, as per a report by People.
"They were inseparable. It’s devastating for Lilly," a source told People.
According to Entertainment Tonight, Jay and Slater are also parents to a son who they welcomed last August.
In her interview with Page Six, Jay said she is focused on raising their child.
"I am focused on rebuilding a life for our son and rebuilding a life for him," she told Page Six. "This is what I am trying to do and this is my only focus."
On Wednesday, TMZ reported that Slater filed for divorce from Jay in New York and no reason for the split was listed on the documents.
How did Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater meet?
A few members of the cast Wicked out at a restaurant, including Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater.
It looks like Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater met on the set of Wicked, an upcoming film they are both starring in.
They were both married (Slater to Lilly Jay and Grande to Dalton Gomez) when Wicked began filming either late last year or early this year.
A source told People that Slater and Grande did form a close bond while filming and were often seen laughing together.
"Everyone just thought they were both happily married though and didn’t expect them to end up dating," the source said.
Another source told the outlet that the pair didn't start their romantic relationship until they were both separated from their former partners.
In a photo posted by Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh, Grande and Slater are seen in a picture together during a night out.
Is Ariana Grande still married?
Legally, yes it appears that Grande is still married.
News of Grande's split from her husband of two years, Dalton Gomez, broke last week after she was spotted at a Wimbledon tennis match without her wedding ring.
According to a report by TMZ, the former couple separated in January and are "headed for divorce."
Grande has been in London, England since the beginning of 2023 working on her latest project, Wicked, which is set to come out in November 2024.
In a report by Entertainment Tonight, the former partners did apparently try to make their marriage work once Grande was overseas.
"Dalton went to Europe recently to be with Ariana and try to work things out between them. But it just wasn’t working. They were having issues for a while, but they are trying to be as respectful as they can and protect each other's privacy through this breakup," a source told ET.
Other sources also told the outlet that their "whirlwind" relationship had been "rocky" at times and that their very different work schedules became difficult for them.
According to E! News, Grande and Gomez ran in the same circle of friends and were first linked back in 2020.
The pair didn't confirm their relationship until they appeared together in her music video with Justin Bieber for a song called "Stuck With U."
They reportedly hung out a lot amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
They got engaged in December 2020 and got married a few months later around May 2021, as reported by E! News.
Are Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater dating?
According to multiple sources, including People, Page Six and Entertainment Tonight (ET), Grande and Slater are dating.
"Ariana and Ethan recently started dating," a source told ET.
"They have a lot in common and have a lot of fun," the source said. "They didn't start dating until both were broken up with their significant others. Ariana and Dalton remain friends."
Page Six says the couple made it official months ago after they had separated from their former spouses.
Grande and Slater have not publicly spoken out about everything that has been going on, nor have they confirmed if they are in fact dating.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.