Ethan Slateris now separated from his wife Lilly Jay.
Amid news that the actor, 31, is dating hisWickedcostarAriana 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 news of Slater’s relationship with Grande, 30, also comes shortly after the “Thank U, Next” singer’srecently reported breakupwith husbandDalton Gomez.
“Ariana and Daltonseparated 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.
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Theo Wargo/Getty ; Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
For the day in May, Slaterwroteon 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, theSpongeBob SquarePantsBroadwayalum 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.
Ariana Grande; Ethan Slater.Art Streiber/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty; Eugene Gologursky/Getty
Art Streiber/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty; Eugene Gologursky/Getty
Slater’s new romance with Grande comes after she and Gomezseparated earlier this yearfollowing 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 ontheWickedmovieoverseas was partially to blame, as it puta 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 filmingWickedin England, they were in for a long-distance marriage.”
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 theSAG-AFTRA strikewill affect its premiere.
source: people.com
