In the fast-moving news cycle surrounding Broadway talent and pop royalty, rumors tend to take on a life of their own. However, sources close to Tony-nominated actor Ethan Slater and his ex-wife, Lilly Jay, are officially setting the record straight: a romantic reconciliation is firmly off the table.
Slater, who wed Jay in 2018 and welcomed a son with her in August 2022, made headlines in mid-2023 when he filed for divorce after four years of marriage, coinciding with his highly publicized relationship with his Wicked co-star, Ariana Grande.
The immediate fallout of the split was fraught. Speaking publicly shortly after news of the divorce broke in July 2023, Jay expressed her surprise and pain regarding the sudden turn of events. “[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl. My family is just collateral damage,” Jay shared candidly at the time, adding that her sole focus remained on being “a good mom” to their infant son.
At the time, insiders clarified that Slater and Jay had already been separated for two months prior to his romance with Grande taking off. Over a year later, Jay further processed the emotional shift in a personal essay published online, reflecting on motherhood and major life transitions.
Following Slater’s split from Grande earlier this year, speculation began circulating across social media suggesting that the former high school sweethearts might be giving their marriage another shot. However, representatives and insiders close to both parties have quickly extinguished those claims.
A source close to Jay confirmed that there is “absolutely not” any romantic spark being reignited, stressing that their current relationship is built strictly on a healthy, cooperative co-parenting dynamic for the sake of their young son. Insiders close to the actor echoed those sentiments, confirming that Slater “is also not trying to get back with her either.”
Both parties appear content moving forward independently while keeping their child’s well-being at the forefront. Meanwhile, the pop culture landscape continues to turn, with reports noting that Grande herself has quietly reconnected with a former flame in recent months as she prepares for her upcoming hiatus.
