Time for a quick update on what’s going on between Ariana Grande and her Wicked co-star, SpongeBob SquarePants actor Ethan Slater.
According to Us Weekly, Ariana wants to go public with the relationship (they are “very much in love” after all), but Ari’s inner circle is…not on board.
“Ariana’s been told it’s too soon to go public with him and to take things slower,” a source tells Us Weekly. “She’s very aware of how she’s perceived by her fans, and she’s trying to be mature. [But] if it were up to her, she’d be seen with him tomorrow.”
Despite not being seen in public together just yet, the source says that “Things are heating up behind the scenes. Publicly, they’re backing off, but [in reality], they’re not.”
Apparently, Ethan and Ari have been advised to “be respectful” since he has family tied up in the somewhat (read: extremely) messy start to their relationship. Specifically, his estranged wife Lilly Jay and their baby. And Lilly hasn’t exactly stayed quiet on the situation, telling Page Six that “[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl. My family is just collateral damage.”
Oh, and an insider also recently told the Daily Mail that “Lilly hung out with Ethan and Ariana so many times,. Ariana met their baby and even held him. They had dinners together in London—and Ariana told Lilly that she wanted to have a baby one day and that she couldn’t wait to start a family.”
Basically it’s all extremely 🥴 at the moment.
Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm, She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.