The Side to Side singer, 30, has reportedly moved on and is dating Broadway alum Ethan Slater, who she met while filming the upcoming adaptation of Wicked, insiders have told People.
“Ariana and Dalton separated in January,” one source revealed. “She and Ethan recently began dating, and he is separated from his wife.”
Representatives for both stars have not returned requests for comment.
Grande is set to play Glinda in the upcoming Universal film adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical, while Slater, 31, will play Boq, who falls in love with Elphaba’s sister Nessarose.
The film started production last year in the UK and is set to his screens in November 2024, however it is not known whether the SAG-AFTRA strike will affect its premiere date.
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater smile in a photo shared by Michelle Yeoh in March. Photo / Instagram
The fresh romance comes hot on the heels of news that Grande and her husband Gomez, 27, separated earlier this year after nearly two years of marriage. An insider told People that the pair “have been quietly and lovingly working on their friendship” since.
A source revealed that Grande’s work on the Wicked film in London was partially the reason for the split. Navigating a long-distance relationship put strain on the couple’s marriage, particularly because Gomez is based full-time in Los Angeles as a real estate agent.
“She was happy in Los Angeles for a couple of years. She wanted to make a life there with Dalton,” the insider said.
“He is super focused on his career and needs to live in Los Angeles. It’s definitely been an issue for them. Dalton’s career is demanding and he can’t leave Los Angeles often. So when [Grande] started filming Wicked in England, they were in for a long-distance marriage.”
Ariana Grande as Glinda on the set of Wicked. Photo / Bav Media, Splash News, Media Mode
While their marriage eventually “didn’t work”, the source insisted that “Ari has nothing but kind words to say about Dalton. During their marriage, he was her No 1 fan.”
On the other hand, Slater wed his high school sweetheart Lilly Jay back in November 2018. The couple welcomed their first child at the beginning of this year, with Slater posting a snap of a onesie that read “Wicked Cute”.
“Super vague post, but we have a baby now,” he shared. The musical star confirmed on Mother’s Day this year that they had welcomed a son, Ezra.
It has now been confirmed that the couple, who had been together since 2012, have separated, People reports. On Thursday, Slater made his Instagram account private.
