Ariana Grande’s New Boyfriend Ethan Slater Is Separated from Wife After Welcoming Baby Last Year: Source

violet bean22 July, 2023Last Updated: 21 July, 2023

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Ariana Grande’s New Boyfriend: Ethan Slater married Lilly Jay in November 2018, six years after they began dating. Ethan Slater is now separated from his wife Lilly Jay.

Amid news that the actor, 31, is dating his Wicked costar Ariana Grande, a source tells PEOPLE that he and Jay, whom he began dating in 2012 and married in November 2018, have gone their separate ways.

The former couple share a baby son named Ezra, whom they welcomed in August 2022. Slater made his Instagram account private on Thursday.

Ariana Grande’s New Boyfriend, The news of Slater’s relationship with Grande, 30, also comes shortly after the “Thank U, Next” singer’s recently reported breakup with husband Dalton Gomez.

“Ariana and Dalton separated in January,” a source told PEOPLE Thursday. “She and Ethan recently began dating, and he is separated from his wife.”

Reps for both Grande and Slater have not returned multiple requests for comment.

In January, Slater revealed he and Jay had welcomed their first child by sharing a photo of a onesie that read “Wicked Cute.”

“Super vague post, but we have a baby now,” he wrote, later confirming on Mother’s Day that they’d welcomed a son.

Ariana Grande’s New Boyfriend, For the day in May, Slater wrote on Instagram, “Happy first Mother’s Day to the most loving caring and wonderful mom/person in the world. – from me and this little guy.” Grande “liked” the post.

The previous November, the SpongeBob SquarePants Broadway alum shared a tribute to “best friend,” Jay, on their fourth wedding anniversary.

“4 years married, 10 years together. And this is easily the best (and most *bizarre*) year yet,” Slater wrote, sharing various photos of the pair over the years.

Slater’s new romance with Grande comes after she and Gomez separated earlier this year following nearly two years of marriage. A source told PEOPLE Monday that the former couple “have been quietly and lovingly working on their friendship” since.

An insider told PEOPLE this week that Grande’s work on the Wicked movie overseas was partially to blame, as it put a long-distance strain on the pair (Gomez, 27, is a luxury real-estate agent based in Los Angeles).

“She was happy in Los Angeles for a couple of years. She wanted to make a life there with Dalton,” the source 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’s New Boyfriend, Grande is set to play Glinda in Universal’s film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, while Slater will play Boq, the love interest of Elphaba’s sister Nessarose.

The movie began shooting in the U.K. last year and was scheduled for release in November 2024, though it remains unclear if the SAG-AFTRA strike will affect its premiere.