Wicked Actor Ethan Slater has reportedly filed for divorce from his wife, Lilly Jay, following news of his new romance with singer Ariana Grande. According to a report by TMZ on Wednesday, the 31-year-old actor filed for divorce in New York, and the reason for the split was not disclosed. Slater and Jay got married in November 2018 after six years of dating and share a baby son born in August 2022.
After news of Slater and Grande’s relationship became public, an insider revealed that Ariana and her former husband Dalton Gomez separated in January, and Ethan is also separated from his wife.
Slater’s Instagram, which was previously public, is now private. Before the privacy settings were changed, he had shared various posts with Jay, including a Mother’s Day tribute liked by Grande, celebrating Jay as a loving and caring mom.
The exact reasons behind the end of Slater and Jay’s relationship remain unknown. A source had previously told PEOPLE that Grande and Gomez separated due to the demands of their respective careers, leading to a long-distance marriage.
Grande has been busy with filming the movie adaptation of “Wicked” in England, while Gomez’s career requires him to be in Los Angeles. The distance reportedly posed challenges for their relationship, leading to their decision to separate after almost two years of marriage.
“Wicked” is a highly anticipated film adaptation, with filming starting in December after several years of planning and rehearsals. During the SAG strike in July, there were reports of production being paused, but director Jon M. Chu confirmed that they were only a few days away from finishing filming before the strike halted production.