Ethan Slater ex-boyfriend” can be confusing because the Wicked actor has not publicly been known to have a male former partner. The phrase is more likely the result of searches about his dating history, particularly his highly publicized relationship with Ariana Grande and his earlier marriage to Lilly Jay.
As of August 2026, Slater’s relationship history is primarily connected to those two women. His romance with Grande became one of Hollywood’s most closely followed celebrity relationships after they met while making Wicked, while his previous marriage ended before his relationship with the pop star became public.
Ariana Grande
Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande met while filming the two-part Wicked movie adaptation. Slater played Boq, while Grande portrayed Glinda.
Their relationship became public in 2023, shortly after both actors had experienced major changes in their personal lives. Slater had separated from his wife, Lilly Jay, while Grande had separated from her then-husband, Dalton Gomez.
Because both stars were already internationally famous, their relationship attracted immediate attention. The circumstances surrounding the timing also generated extensive speculation and commentary online.
Despite the intense coverage, Slater and Grande generally kept their relationship away from the spotlight. They occasionally supported one another publicly while continuing to concentrate on their acting and music careers.
The 2026 Split
By mid-2026, reports indicated that Slater and Grande had ended their relationship after nearly three years together. The separation brought another round of headlines because the pair had become closely associated with the Wicked franchise.
The reported breakup was described as relatively quiet rather than a highly public celebrity feud. Neither actor has turned the separation into a public spectacle.
Grande has since attracted attention for her own projects, including her 2026 music and film work. Her album Petal, released in July 2026, marked a new musical chapter following Eternal Sunshine.
Lilly Jay
Before Grande, Slater was married to Lilly Jay, his high-school sweetheart.
The couple began their relationship years before Slater became a Broadway and Hollywood name. They married in 2018 after several years together and later welcomed a son in August 2022.
Their marriage ended during a major transition in Slater’s career. He filed for divorce in New York in July 2023, and the divorce was finalized in September 2024.
Jay is a clinical psychologist and has largely maintained a life away from the entertainment industry. Her connection to Slater became considerably more public after the couple’s separation because of his relationship with Grande.
Their Son
Slater and Jay share one son. Both parents have emphasized the importance of protecting his privacy.
In later interviews, Slater has spoken warmly about fatherhood while deliberately avoiding unnecessary details about his child’s private life. He has explained that he wants his son to grow up with the freedom to develop his own identity away from celebrity attention.
Jay has likewise discussed co-parenting and the importance of maintaining a loving relationship between both parents and their child.
The Public Scrutiny
Slater’s personal life became dramatically more visible after his relationship with Grande emerged.
The story received attention not simply because Grande is one of the world’s biggest pop stars, but because both were coming out of previous relationships. The resulting coverage often focused on timelines and speculation rather than Slater’s own career.
Jay later wrote publicly about the emotional consequences of the breakup and the sudden loss of privacy surrounding her personal life. Her comments provided a perspective that had largely been absent from the celebrity coverage.
Slater, meanwhile, has generally avoided discussing the most controversial aspects of the relationship in detail.
Beyond Romance
Long before his relationship with Grande became headline news, Slater had established himself as a respected performer.
He rose to prominence on Broadway as SpongeBob SquarePants in The SpongeBob Musical, a performance that earned him a Tony Award nomination. His stage background eventually led him to the major screen role of Boq in Wicked.
The two-film adaptation gave Slater a much larger international audience. He appeared alongside Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey and Michelle Yeoh in the first installment and its sequel, Wicked: For Good.
The franchise became a defining part of his transition from Broadway performer to mainstream film actor.
Is Ethan Slater Dating Anyone?
Following his reported split from Grande, there is no widely confirmed new relationship involving Slater as of August 2026.
That makes the “Ethan Slater ex-boyfriend” search somewhat misleading. There is no established public record of a former boyfriend comparable to the well-documented relationships in his history.
His publicly known romantic timeline is instead centered on Lilly Jay, his former wife and co-parent, and Ariana Grande, his high-profile former partner.
A Private New Chapter
Slater’s personal life has changed considerably since he first became internationally recognizable through Wicked. His marriage ended, his relationship with Grande became public and eventually concluded, and he has continued navigating fatherhood alongside an expanding acting career.
For now, Slater appears to be keeping the next chapter of his private life considerably quieter. His professional work remains easier to follow than his dating life, with his Broadway achievements and Wicked performances providing the clearest picture of where his career is heading.
