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Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s romance has been fraught with controversy from the get-go, with accusations of adultery impelling them to keep a low profile. More than a year into dating, little had been revealed about their relationship, aside from the odd insider tidbit or blurry paparazzi snap. But as Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of Wicked begins to debut worldwide, the co-stars-turned-lovers have finally made things official (posting each other on Instagram).
Touching down in Sydney for the Australian premiere of Wicked, the couple were photographed linking arms. On the red carpet, though, the couple kept things professional and only posed in group shots. Make of it what you will, but the whole-cast photo that the actress chose to post on her Instagram was the one where she and Slater were smiling at each other.
In the photos, Grande stuns in a recreation of The Good Witch’s original dress from the 1939 Wizard of Oz film, a custom piece handmade by Vivienne Westwood‘s couturiers in London for the actress.
It seemed that the voluminous tulle skirt wasn’t all that easy to wear, though, as another photo Grande posted showed Slater helping her down some stairs by holding up some of the fabric.
While it’s only the back of his head, the songstress tagged her beau, and just like that, they marked a modern dating milestone. Feeling the love, Slater reposted the same photo in his IG carousel.
Grande and Slater met on the set of Wicked, where Grande leads alongside Cynthia Erivo‘s Elphaba as Glinda, and Slater plays Boq.
During production, Grande’s divorce from Dalton Gomez was finalised after two years of marriage. Meanwhile, Slater filed for divorce from his wife, Lilly Jay, whom he shares a child with, in July 2023.
In early October, a source told Us Weekly that the co-stars had already moved in together, but reports had been circulating since early September.
“Ethan informed his friends and soon-to-be ex-wife [Lilly Jay] that he’s living with Ariana full-time in New York,” revealed the source, adding that the actor already had the approval from Grande’s inner circle. “They’re really happy and really good for each other. All of her friends love him.”
Fast forward to September 2024, and Grande opened up about how the pair navigated the early days of their romance in the face of social media hate and tabloid stories.
“The most disappointing part was to see so many people believe the worst version of it,” she told Vanity Fair. “That was definitely a tough ride.”
Referring to the rumours that Slater had ‘abandoned’ his wife and child for Grande, the ‘Yes, And?’ singer clarified questions about his character.
“There couldn’t be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about him,” she urged, adding that she “will never go into certain details.”
“No one on this earth tries harder or spreads themselves thinner to be there for the people he loves and cares about,” she added. “There is no one on this earth with a better heart, and that is something that no bullshit tabloid can rewrite in real life.”
