• Ariana Grande is dating her "Wicked" costar Ethan Slater.
• Slater is a Broadway actor who rose to fame starring as Spongebob in "The Spongebob Musical."
• Here's what to know about Slater, from his notable roles to his relationship with ex-wife Lilly Jay. 

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's relationship is facing renewed interest amid the release of "Wicked" and a personal essay published by Lilly Jay, Slater's ex-wife.

In July 2023, multiple outlets including People magazine and TMZ reported that Grande, 31, and her "Wicked" costar Slater, 32, were dating. The reports came days after news broke of Grande's separation from her husband, Dalton Gomez. 

Grande and Slater presumably met through their roles in the two-part film adaptation of the "Wicked" musical. Grande portrays Glinda, the popular girl at Shiz University, and Slater plays Boq, a classmate from Munchinland who has an unrequited crush on her but becomes the love interest of Elphaba's younger sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode).

Here's everything to know about Slater.  

Slater is an actor who rose to fame playing Spongebob on Broadway

For his star turn as the plucky yellow sponge in the 2017 musical adaptation of "Spongebob Squarepants," Slater received several accolades, including a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award win in 2018. He also starred in the Classic Stage Company's production of "Assassins," which ran until January 2021, and has had roles on shows including "Law & Order: SVU" and "Fosse/Verdon." 

Slater more recently starred in the Broadway revival of "Spamalot," which closed in April after a 24-week run. 

Shortly after news broke of his rumored relationship with Grande, Slater's Instagram page was made private. When viewed by Business Insider before Slater made the account private, the page mostly featured clips from his past and coming projects, as well as a blurry selfie with his then-wife, Jay. 

Slater shares a son with his ex-wife, Lilly Jay

Slater and Jay, a clinical psychologist in perinatal mental health and child development, met in high school and married in 2018. They welcomed their first child together, a son, in August 2022. 

In People's July 2023 report about Grande and Slater's relationship, a source said that Slater and Jay had separated, though they didn't give an exact timeframe for the separation. TMZ reported that Slater filed for divorce from Jay on July 26, 2023.

Jay later addressed Slater's romance with Grande in an interview with Page Six, calling the singer "not a girl's girl" and saying her family was "just collateral damage" in the controversy. 

Grande first sparked her own divorce rumors after she was spotted at a Wimbledon match without her wedding ring or engagement ring on July 16, 2023.

A day after the singer was seen without her rings at Wimbledon, TMZ reported that Grande and Gomez had been separated for several months and were "heading for divorce." The couple had been together since 2020 and married in 2021.

Grande and Gomez simultaneously filed for divorce in September 2023. Their separation date was listed in court documents as February 20, 2023.

Jay recently discussed her and Slater's divorce in an essay for The Cut, published on Thursday. In her essay, Jay avoided directly addressing Slater and Grande's relationship and instead focused on how her highly publicized divorce affected her. She also said that she and Slater continue to co-parent their child. 

"While our partnership has changed, our parenthood has not," Jay wrote. "Both of us fiercely love our son 100% of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided. As for me, days with my son are sunny. Days when I can't escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker."

Libby Torres contributed to an earlier version of this story.

• In a personal essay, Lilly Jay, Ethan Slater's ex-wife, opened up about their divorce.
• In 2023, news broke that Slater was dating his "Wicked" costar, Ariana Grande.
• Jay said the movie's recent premiere reminds her of the saddest time of her life.

Lilly Jay, a perinatal psychologist and ex-wife of Wicked star Ethan Slater, has spoken for the first time about their break-up and being thrust into the spotlight.

In July 2023, rumors circulated that Slater was dating Ariana Grande, his "Wicked" costar, leading to Jay and Slater separating (though one source told People that Jay and Slater were already separated when the relationship began).

Jay published an essay in The Cut on Thursday, describing her experience in the aftermath of their divorce, which became official in September. She wonders whether it impacted her career, after she was passed over for a job and canceled on by a client.

Jay and Slater, who met in high school and started dating as college sophomores in 2012, had a son in August 2022. After the news broke of Slater and Grande's relationship, Jay told Page Six that Grande is "not a girl's girl" and that her family was "collateral damage." Since then, she refrained from divulging many details, including in her recent essay.

In her new essay, Jay did not speak directly about the details of Slater and Grande's relationship, including the exact timeline. Instead, she broke down how their very public divorce affected her, and the peace she's had to make with her life being less private since.

Grande and Slater did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comments.

She moved to the UK for Slater's career

Because "Wicked" was shot in the UK, Jay said that she moved to London with Slater when their son was two months old.

She said that she knew all about how vulnerable marriages are in the early stages of parenthood but still "confidently" moved for Slater's career.

"Consumed by the magic and mundanity of new motherhood, I didn't understand the growing distance between us," Jay wrote.

She feared experiencing postpartum depression and a general loss of control. Then "one day in London, I looked up and found that they had both arrived," she said, brought on by the "sudden public downfall" of her marriage.

The "Wicked" premiere was tough to deal with

The success of "Wicked," which premiered in November, makes it hard to avoid, Jay said. As does the extensive press around it, including a long list of brand collaborations.

Jay said that she still struggles with the reminders. "Days with my son are sunny," she said. "Days when I can't escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker."

Grande has also spoken out about the relationship, referencing Slater in her last album. "It definitely doesn't get any easier," Grande told Vanity Fair in reference to dealing with tabloid rumors. Kristin Chenoweth, who originated Grande's "Wicked" role on Broadway and appeared in the film, also defended Grande. "Nobody ever knows what's going on for real," Chenoweth said.

She said Slater is a present father

Jay and Slater are now co-parenting their son, something Slater described as "an interesting thing to navigate."

Jay said they are both fully committed to being there for their child. "While our partnership has changed, our parenthood has not," she said. "Both of us fiercely love our son 100 percent of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided."

Despite her unique challenges in early motherhood, Jay said she is optimistic about her future with her son. "Slowly but surely, I have come to believe that in the absence of the life I planned with my high-school sweetheart, a lifetime of sweetness is waiting for me and my child," she said.

• Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater reportedly began dating on the "Wicked" movie set.
• Slater confirmed he "fell in love" while filming, calling the experience "a really beautiful thing."
• Slater's ex-wife, Lilly Jay, wrote an essay for The Cut that unpacks her sudden public divorce.

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater seem to be going strong, nearly two years after they met on the set of "Wicked."

The "Eternal Sunshine" singer, 31, and Broadway star, 32, were both legally married to other people when they began filming the two-part blockbuster. Now, the two have reportedly become a "full-on couple. " Some sources even claim they're living together in New York City.

Here's a complete timeline of their friendship-turned-romance.

December 2022: Grande begins filming the 'Wicked' movie

Back in 2021, Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast in the big-screen "Wicked" adaptation as Galinda Upland (eventually Glinda the Good Witch) and Elphaba Thropp (eventually the Wicked Witch of the West), respectively.

On December 7, 2022, director Jon M. Chu confirmed that filming was underway.

"My daughter wrote a note and drew a picture to commemorate the first day of shooting," he wrote on his Instagram story. Grande also reshared the photo, adding, "My heart."

That same day, Variety announced Slater's addition to the cast as Boq, a character from Munchkinland who falls in love with Galinda.

At that point, Slater was best known for his Tony-nominated role in "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical."

January/February 2023: Grande reportedly separates from her husband, Dalton Gomez

According to reports from TMZ and People, Grande and Gomez broke up shortly after she went to England to film "Wicked."

March 2023: Grande and Slater are photographed together

The cast of "Wicked" shared several photos online while celebrating Michelle Yeoh's Oscar win in London.

One photo, posted by Yeoh, shows Grande sitting between Erivo and Slater.

April 3, 2023: Grande shares a tribute to her 'Wicked' costars

Grande announced that filming "Wicked" was halfway done with a sentimental post on Instagram.

"i am so grateful, i don't know what to do or say… to be here in Oz where everyday is a life changing one… to be feeling, learning and growing so much at such a disarming speed," she wrote in the caption. "to be transforming and healing parts of me that i never knew needed it. or maybe did."

Grande also wished a "happy halfway" to her crew and costars, whom she described as "my fellow Ozians."

"my heart will be stuck here forever," she added.

May 14, 2023: Slater praises his wife, Lilly Jay, on Mother's Day

Slater had been married to his high-school sweetheart, a clinical psychologist, since 2018. The couple welcomed a son in August 2022.

Slater dedicated a Mother's Day post to Jay on May 14, 2023, describing his wife as "the most loving caring and wonderful mom/person in the world." (Grande liked the post.)

May 15, 2023: Grande shares a photo with Gomez to celebrate their second wedding anniversary

In an Instagram story, Grande shared a photo of her and Gomez kissing at their wedding. She wrote that they'd been together for over three years, adding, "I love him so."

Later that month, Grande removed thousands of posts from her Instagram grid.

July 17, 2023: News breaks that Grande and Gomez are 'heading for divorce'

Rumors were already swirling about Grande's split from Gomez when she attended a Wimbledon tennis match with her "Wicked" costar Jonathan Bailey sans her engagement ring or wedding band.

The following day, TMZ published a report that she and Gomez had been separated for several months and were "heading for divorce," citing anonymous sources close to the couple.

Another source confirmed the news to People, claiming that Grande and Gomez "have been quietly and lovingly working on their friendship."

July 20, 2023: Grande and Slater's new relationship makes headlines

TMZ broke the news that Grande and Slater were a couple. According to the tabloid, they began dating while filming "Wicked."

When his relationship with Grande made headlines, neither Slater nor Jay had yet announced their separation. Later that day, People confirmed that Slater and Jay had "gone their separate ways," but did not provide a timeline for their split.

July 26, 2023: Slater files for divorce from Jay

According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Slater filed for divorce from Jay in New York.

The specific reason Slater listed for the split has not been made public.

July 27, 2023: Slater's estranged wife says Grande is 'not a girl's girl'

One day after Slater filed for divorce, Jay gave a short interview to Page Six's Francesca Bacardi, in which she described Grande as "not a girl's girl."

"My family is just collateral damage," Jay told Bacardi, adding, "The story is her and Dalton."

Jay also said she's focused on being a "good mom" to her 1-year-old son.

Shortly after, TMZ reported that Jay hadn't meant to publicly criticize Grande and "did not understand what it meant that she was on the record when she made the comments," citing sources close to Slater.

September 18, 2023: Grande and Gomez simultaneously file for divorce

Grande cited "irreconcilable differences" in her official divorce filing, according to TMZ. Gomez quickly followed suit with his own filing.

"They've been really caring and respectful of one another every step of this process," a source told the outlet.

According to court documents, the date of their separation was listed as February 20, 2023.

Their divorce was finalized just three weeks after filing on October 6, 2023, according to multiple outlets. In accordance with the couple's prenuptial agreement, Gomez reportedly received $1,250,000 from Grande.

Meanwhile, a source told People that Grande is trying to keep her relationship with Slater out of the spotlight.

"While this entire situation has been blown out of proportion, it's much different than what has been portrayed in public," said a friend of the couple. "They are just trying to navigate their new relationship in private."

September 29, 2023: Grande and Slater spend a night together at Disney World

Grande and Slater were spotted walking through Disney World and linking arms in their first public outing.

"They went with a big group of friends as well her mom and brother," a source told People, adding, "All of her friends love him."

October 31, 2023: Grande is spotted cheering for the cast of Broadway's 'Spamalot,' including Slater

Grande was spotted in the audience for the first preview performance of "Spamalot," a Monty Python-inspired musical. She can be seen cheering for the cast in a video that made the rounds on social media.

Fans assumed she was primarily there to support Slater, who played The Historian and Prince Herbert in the production.

"She has seen it during tech rehearsals," an anonymous attendee told People. "She was so sweet last night, taking pictures with fans and gushing about how much she was enjoying the performances. She's a theater kid at her core, so you see she really feels at peace being around Broadway."

Before becoming a pop star, Grande got her start on Broadway as a teen in "13: The Musical." She attended the "Spamalot" preview with her former "13" and "Victorious" costar, Liz Gillies, who shared a selfie with Grande on her Instagram story.

"Had the BEST time at @spamalotbway last night. Run, don't walk!" Gillies wrote in the caption. Grande reshared the photo on her own story.

November 12, 2023: The couple enjoys a theatrical date night

Grande and Slater were spotted together at the James Earl Jones Theater, catching a performance of "Gutenberg! The Musical!" on Broadway.

The couple also spent some time backstage with the production's costars, Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells. The former "Girls" actor later shared a photo of the foursome on Instagram.

"We had some big fun in Schlimmer yesterday! Spamalot's Ethan Slater AND Michael Urie! Two great guys to eat dreams with," Rannells wrote in the caption. "Plus Ariana Grande! It was a perfect Sunday."

November 16, 2023: Grande attends the opening night of 'Spamalot'

Grande was then spotted in the crowd at the St. James Theatre for the official opening night of "Spamalot."

She also brought her mother, Joan Grande; her brother-in-law, Hale Grande; and a few friends along for the occasion (including Doug Middlebrook of "In My Head" fame).

Grande later shared a slideshow of photos from the evening, including a T-shirt that reads, "Happy Opening Of Broadway Show."

In his own slideshow, Slater included a photo of himself wearing the same shirt.

December 22, 2023: Grande includes an apparent nod to Slater in her holiday decor

In an Instagram slideshow that she captioned with a heart, Grande included a photo of a Spam tree ornament.

Many fans believe the can of processed pork is a shoutout to Slater's role in "Spamalot."

December 23, 2023: The couple is seen dining with Grande's father, Ed Butera, in New York City

Grande, Slater, and Butera had dinner "at her family's favorite Italian restaurant" in Manhattan, according to Page Six.

They were photographed leaving the restaurant before heading to the Theater District, where Grande caught another performance of "Spamalot."

"They love to support each other in their work," an anonymous source told the outlet. "When she's done with work, she loves going to the theater when she can." (This exact quote was also cited by People.)

December 28, 2023: TMZ reports that Grande and Slater are living together

Grande and Slater are currently living together in New York City, according to sources close to the couple. One source also said they "vibe together."

"We're told each maintains a separate residence, but they are together almost all of the time," TMZ wrote.

January 12, 2024: Grande mocks people who scrutinize her sex life in the new single 'Yes, And?'

"Yes, And?" was written by Grande, Max Martin, and Ilya Salmanzadeh for Grande's forthcoming album.

In the song, Grande takes on critics of her body and relationship, with the most relevant lyrics appearing in the bridge: "Your business is yours and mine is mine / Why do you care so much whose **** I ride?" (The censor is Grande's own.)

The "Yes, And?" music video doubles down on this theme. It shows Grande performing the song for her biggest critics, who, by the end of the song, are persuaded to abandon their haughtiness and dance along with Grande.

March 8, 2024: Grande releases her album 'Eternal Sunshine,' which may contain references to her new boyfriend

Amid several breakup songs on Grande's seventh studio album, she sings about finding new love.

"I found a good boy and he's on my side / You're just my eternal sunshine," she sings in the title track, drawing a distinction between her new man and her ex. (Although Grande hasn't identified any muses for "Eternal Sunshine," the information we have about her love life would indicate these lyrics are about Slater and Gomez, respectively.)

"Supernatural," "Imperfect For You," and "Ordinary Things" also allude to a recently sparked romance ("Nothing else felt this way inside me," "We crashed and we burned / Now I just can't go where you don't go," "There's never gonna be an ordinary thing as long as I'm with you").

Notably, the two-song sequence "True Story" and "The Boy Is Mine" addresses Grande's reputation as a "villain" in the public eye — but filtered through a satirical, tongue-in-cheek lens.

"It's like, 'OK, I'll play the bad girl, here's your bad girl anthem,'" Grande told Zane Lowe. "That's why they're in that order in the tracklist."

June 8, 2024: Grande and Slater attend a hockey game together

Grande and Slater were photographed sitting side-by-side at Amerant Bank Arena in Florida, Grande's home state, for the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

They were joined by Grande's longtime friend, Courtney Chipolone, per People.

September 30, 2024: Grande defends Slater and their relationship against 'disreputable evil tabloids'

Grande addressed the rumors about her love life in her Vanity Fair cover story (without mentioning Slater by name).

"It definitely doesn't get any easier, seeing some of the negativity that was birthed by disreputable tabloids. Of course, I went through a lot of life changes during the filming of this movie. A lot of people that were working on it did," Grande said, referring to "Wicked."

Grande also disavowed the negative perception of her relationship with Slater, which she said was created by the media — though, again, she didn't clarify any specifics, telling the magazine she "will never go into certain details."

"The most disappointing part was to see so many people believe the worst version of it," she said.

"There couldn't be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about him," Grande added of Slater, alluding to rumors that he left his wife and child to be with her.

"No one on this Earth tries harder or spreads themselves thinner to be there for the people that he loves and cares about. There is no one on this Earth with a better heart, and that is something that no bullshit tabloid can rewrite in real life."

October 30, 2024: Slater confirms he 'fell in love' while filming 'Wicked'

During an interview with GQ, Slater was asked about his new relationship.

"You also fell in love making this movie," reporter Eileen Cartter said to him. "Can you tell me a little bit about what that was like?"

"Yeah," he replied. "That's a really sweet question. That's really nice of you to ask. That's a really sweet question."

"Obviously, it was a really super big year," he continued, "and I think there was something that was really difficult about things in your private life being commented on and looked at by the public. There were a lot of big changes in private lives that were really happening, so it's really hard to see people who don't know anything about what's happening commenting on it and speculating, and then getting things wrong about the people you love. So just to address that part of it, that feels really hard."

Despite the rumors about his love life, however, Slater said it was "an amazing year and a really beautiful thing." He also praised Grande's acting chops and comedic timing.

"I'm just really, really proud of Ari and the work she's done on this," Slater said, referring to her role as Galinda. "She's poured herself into it. I'm really proud that I got to be there for that part of it, and I'm really excited to be there for this next step of it when the world gets to see the amazing thing that she did."

Grande signaled her support by sharing GQ's photos of Slater on her Instagram Story.

She also shared a link to the interview, calling it "a beautifully written piece about an unfathomably beautiful human being."

November 4, 2024: Slater makes his debut on Grande's Instagram grid

In an Instagram carousel dedicated to the Sydney premiere of "Wicked," Grande included a photo of the cast posing on the red (actually, yellow) carpet.

Although Grande and Slater weren't standing next to each other, the photo shows them smiling at each other.

In another candid shot, Slater is holding the train of Grande's gown as they walk down stairs.

November 14, 2024: They hug and hold hands at the 'Wicked' premiere in New York City

Photographers caught a brief interaction between Grande and Slater in New York City, where both actors walked the red carpet for the "Wicked" premiere.

November 22, 2024: Slater shares several photos with Grande from the set of 'Wicked'

To celebrate the movie's release in theaters, Slater shared a carousel of photos from the set of "Wicked."

One is a selfie that Slater took with Grande and their costar, Bronwyn James, while another shows Erivo, Grande, and Slater posing in sunglasses.

"To say I'm honored to be a part of this movie is the understatement of the century," Slater wrote in the caption. "I cannot wait for you to see it."

Grande liked the post and commented with three cupid-heart emojis.

In the weeks following, he shared two more photos with Grande from the "Wicked" set (one on November 29 and another on December 5), both showing the costars in their Shiz University costumes.

December 19, 2024: Lilly Jay publishes an essay that unpacks her sudden public divorce

Jay's first-person essay ran in The Cut under the headline, "How Does My Divorce Make You Feel?"

The piece explores Jay's career as a clinical psychologist, her desire to remain anonymous for the sake of her patients, her new life as a mother, and how the "sudden public downfall" of her marriage complicated all three.

"I really never thought I would get divorced," Jay writes. "Especially not just after giving birth to my first child and especially not in the shadow of my husband's new relationship with a celebrity."

Although Jay never names either Slater or Grande in the piece, she refers to "a tabloid drama in which I play the role of a voiceless ex-wife."

Jay also reveals that she "confidently moved to another country with my 2-month-old baby and my husband to support his career," confirming that she and Slater were still together when he began filming "Wicked" in England.

Although Jay is still grappling with the ripple effects of their breakup, she praises Slater's commitment to co-parenting their child.

"While our partnership has changed, our parenthood has not. Both of us fiercely love our son 100 percent of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided," Jay writes. "As for me, days with my son are sunny. Days when I can't escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker."

Grande and Slater did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comments.

This post is a developing story. Check back for updates.