Just as the world is starting to be won over by Ethan Slater, cheating rumors resurface!
As Perezcious readers know, Ethan and Ariana Grande fell in love on the set of Wicked. There was just one small problem… they were both married! Ariana split from Dalton Gomez in July 2023 before finalizing their divorce in March. Meanwhile, Ethan split from his baby momma Lilly Jay that same month and finalized their split in September.
Then, right after her divorce, the pop star was linked to her co-star. That caused a TON of cheating rumors which they have both consistently denied even during their current promo tour. But now, a new source is speaking out!
Related: Ariana & Jimmy Fallon Recreate HIGHlarious Viral Wicked Video!!
On Saturday, a source close to the Broadway star told The Post, via Page Six, that his divorce was “a total surprise.” They claimed:
“I thought he [Slater] was very happy with Lily. It was a total surprise to me. […] I’m sure there were some hearts broken in the process.”
A person familiar with the situation then told the outlet that Lilly was the one left heartbroken and betrayed! They claimed:
“They were definitely cheating … Ethan’s wife found texts between them flirting. Ariana even met the baby a couple of times while they were both married.”
S**t!
Lilly found flirty texts?? Yikes. That’s so bad! Maybe they hadn’t physically cheated yet (who knows?!) but it’s still SUPER icky!
The source close to Ethan went on to claim that the timing of the musical movie likely impacted his marriage. They’d just welcomed their first child together and suddenly the actor was off filming in a village in Buckinghamshire, England, as the insider pointed out:
“There could have been some friction — ‘we had a baby, and you’re leaving for work?’ Maybe [Jay] wasn’t so thrilled about that. I can understand how something like that can start untethering a relationship.”
It certainly complicates things. But plenty of husbands travel and don’t end up cheating. Just saying!
Despite this, the source is seemingly giving the SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical star the benefit of the doubt:
“That was a sacrifice [of taking on the Wicked role]. Not seeing his new baby for a while. Did that limit Lily? The circumstances of it all are already tricky. We’ve all had our moments – things could have been done better.”
That’s an understatement if all this is true!
For her part, the songstress has often been in long monogamous relationships, such as with Mac Miller from 2016 to 2018, just a few months before he died. Regarding that vibe, actor Malik Hammond, who starred alongside Ari in 13: The Musical back in 2008, told the outlet:
“She loves love. She wants a family one day. […] She’s definitely an advocate for monogamy. She’s a family girl.”
And yet she allegedly cheated? Not so great with monogamy then!
Nevertheless, Malik recalled how gutted Grande was by the death of the late rapper:
“If Mac was still alive I don’t think they would have broken up. […] The way Mac respected her and honored her heart. They were very much locked in. That was very hard for her. She shoots from the heart. I don’t think anyone gets over grief when you love someone and you feel like you have a future together.”
Before Mac’s passing, the two had broken up and the Victorious alum had moved on with Pete Davidson. Mac died while she was with Pete, who lost his father at a young age. They could connect over grief, but he also “just made her laugh,” according to her pal. Ethan seems to be doing the same for her, at least based on what we’ve seen from them as they promote Wicked lately!
But why blow up their marriages for this romance?? The source close to Ethan speculated:
“They [Ariana and Ethan] could have been in a bubble and there was a gravity pull. No one ever goes into a show looking for romance. You’re just in these situations and you’re going through this exciting stressful process together. It just kind of happens.”
A classic showmance. Those often fade the instant a show closes, tho… Hopefully, that’s not the case for these two!
Once again sticking up for the Tony Award nominee, the confidant went on:
“When people were coming down on her [Ariana] and Ethan, yeah you’re married with a baby, that’s not a great thing, but no one can speak to that. You work so hard to develop this career – you put all your time and sacrifices to have people rip it away so quickly. As long as they’re happy – that’s the main thing. It’s their lives.”
They strongly concluded:
“I could see it for them [long term]. I don’t think this is a PR move that ‘this will help my career if I date the other one.’ There’s something there.”
Hmm…
We’re even MORE curious to see what will happen once this film is released! Will they fizzle out fast or try to hang on? That will say a lot about the strength of this relationship!
What do U think, Perezcious readers? Did something sketchy go on here?! Or should the new couple be given the benefit of the doubt? Sound OFF (below)!!
[Image via MEGA/Joseph Marzullo/WENN]
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