Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater Split: Wicked Actor 'Still Very Much In Love' As Source Claims Reunion

Ariana Grande's quietly reported split from Wicked co‑star Ethan Slater has taken a twist in Los Angeles this week, as fresh claims suggest the Broadway actor is 'still very much in love' with the pop star and hoping for a reunion despite the breakup.

News of the separation only broke on Monday, when People reported that Grande, 32, and Slater, 34, had 'quietly broken up' several months earlier after nearly three years together. The pair, who met on the set of the film adaptation of Wicked, were said to have ended things amicably, remaining 'friends' and 'very supportive of one another' while Grande focused on her Eternal Sunshine tour and the build‑up to her next album, Petal, due out on 31 July.

Ariana Grande And Ethan Slater: A 'Deep Connection' After The Split

The latest round of reporting did not come from a studio press release or a lawyer's carefully worded statement, but from the gossip newsletter Naughty But Nice, run by celebrity columnist Rob Shuter.

'There's still a deep connection between them,' one unnamed source told the Substack in an article published on Wednesday 10 June, adding that observers should not 'be surprised if they're together again before summer is over.'

A second source, also anonymous, went further, claiming Slater is 'still very much in love' with Ariana Grande and would return to the relationship in a heartbeat. 'If Ariana leaves the door open even a crack, he'll walk right through it,' the source said.

None of this has been confirmed by the singers' representatives. Nothing is confirmed yet so everything should be taken with a grain of salt. What we have instead is an emerging picture of a relationship that people close to them describe as on‑again, off‑again, rather than cleanly over.

Multiple insiders quoted by Naughty But Nice painted a similar pattern. The pair have allegedly broken up and reconciled several times over the past few years. When Grande's mother, Joan Grande, was asked by the outlet whether the Wicked co‑stars were still together, she reportedly replied, 'What day is it?' It is not exactly a legal filing, but it does fit the portrait of a couple whose status changes faster than most fans can keep up.

'These two never seem to stay apart for long,' a third source told the blog. 'Every time everyone writes them off, they find their way back to each other. Nobody close to them is calling this permanent.' Another insider added that their status 'changes all the time,' saying they can be 'inseparable one week, taking space the next, and back together before anyone catches up'.

For those tempted to put actual money on celebrity romance, one source even suggested 'the smart money is on a reunion.' It is hardly forensic evidence, but in the world of pop culture, this is the kind of stuff fans cling to.

How Ariana Grande And Ethan Slater Got Here

The relationship between Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater has been closely watched, not least because of the timing. The two met in December 2022 on the set of Wicked. Grande was cast as Glinda, while Slater played Boq. At that point, Slater had welcomed his first child with then‑wife Lilly Jay less than a year earlier, and Grande was still married to real estate agent Dalton Gomez.

In early 2023, Grande and Gomez went their separate ways. In July that year, Slater filed for divorce from Jay. By that summer, the Spongebob Musical star and the Grammy winner were being linked romantically, though neither publicly confirmed the relationship at the time.

They were photographed together repeatedly and gradually let fans into their world through social media. It was not until November 2024 that they made things Instagram official, and over the following year and a half they turned up side by side at promotional events for Wicked and the associated project Wicked: For Good.

Publicly, at least, they were effusive. In November, Slater described Grande's turn in the Wicked sequel as 'out of this world.' In March this year, she posted a message on Instagram Stories as his off‑Broadway show Marcel on the Train wrapped, congratulating him on 'a beautiful run of this very beautiful show' and adding, 'so very proud,' complete with a butterfly and two heart outlines.

A source told People in November that the couple were 'making it work' despite conflicting schedules and were 'incredibly supportive' of one another's careers. In a 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Grande herself called Slater 'such an amazing person,' adding that her 'heart is very happy.'

Against that backdrop, the claim that the breakup was 'amicable' and decided with 'lots of time and careful consideration' feels plausible enough. It also helps explain why the split stayed under wraps for 'several months' while Grande quietly shifted her attention to touring and finishing Petal.

Whether the new talk of a reunion reflects genuine movement behind the scenes or simply friends and hangers‑on unwilling to admit the romance might really be done is harder to parse. For now, there is the official line from People's source, they have parted ways and are 'still friends,' and the more breathless suggestion that Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater may yet circle back to each other before the summer is out.

Fans, as ever, are left reading between the lines of Instagram Stories and unnamed 'insiders.'