Ethan Slater was 'definitely cheating' with Ariana Grande as ex-wife found their 'flirty' texts: Source

Ethan Slater's ex-wife Lilly Jay allegedly discovered the 'flirty' text messages he exchanged with Ariana Grande while still being married
UPDATED NOV 19, 2024
Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande supposedly sparked romance after meeting on the set of 'Wicked' in December 2022 (Getty Images)
Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande supposedly sparked romance after meeting on the set of 'Wicked' in December 2022 (Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Amid Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande's PDA-packed dreamy 'Wicked' promotional tour, an insider is spilling details from the early days of their romance.

The source recently shared with The New York Post, as per Page Six, that the actor's ex-wife, Lilly Jay, discovered "flirty" text messages he exchanged with the 'Thank U, Next' hitmaker while they were still married.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater attend the
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater attend the 'Wicked' New York premiere at the Museum of Modern Art on November 14, 2024, in New York City (PMarleen Moise/WireImage)

Insider claims Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande 'definitely cheated'

From the very beginning, Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande's romance has been laced with cheating rumors, with many questioning the timeline of their relationship.

The ‘Boy is Mine’ singer, who was married to Los Angeles-based real estate agent Dalton Gomez for two years, split from him in July 2023. Slater separated from his high-school sweetheart wife, Jay, in the same month.

While Grande finalized her divorce in March of this year, Slater settled his in September. 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater attend the
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater attend the 'Wicked' New York premiere at the Museum of Modern Art on November 14, 2024, in New York City (Marleen Moise/WireImage)

A source close to the ‘Redheads Anonymous’ actor, recently shared with the outlet that not only were the fans befuddled but his close friends were also taken by surprise.

They said, "I thought he [Slater] was very happy with Lily. It was a total surprise to me. I’m sure there were some hearts broken in the process."

"They were definitely cheating …," claimed the insider before elaborating, "Ethan’s wife found texts between them flirting. Ariana even met the baby a couple of times while they were both married."

According to the outlet, the ‘Zoolander 2’ actress met Slater in December 2022 on the set of 'Wicked'. His wife had given birth to their son 

The insider hinted that the film’s busy schedule, coupled with distance (Slater was filming ‘Wicked’ in a village in Buckinghamshire, England) created a chasm between the actor and Jay.

"There could have been some friction – ‘we had a baby, and you’re leaving for work?’ Maybe [Jay] wasn’t so thrilled about that. I can understand how something like that can start untethering a relationship," the source spilled.

They further added, "That was a sacrifice [of taking on the ‘Wicked’ role]. Not seeing his new baby for a while. Did that limit Lily? The circumstances of it all are already tricky. We’ve all had our moments – things could have been done better."

Ariana Grande defended her relationship with Ethan Slater

As the conspicuous timeline of their relationship came forward, Ariana Grande was branded a "homewrecker" by tolls.

Nevertheless, the ‘Yes, And?’ singer clapped back at the vicious rumors when she sat for a talk with Vanity Fair in September. 

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 08: Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater look on prior to Game One of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 08, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater look on prior to Game One of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 08, 2024, in Sunrise, Florida (Elsa/Getty Images)

The ‘Victorious’ star shared with the outlet, "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."

She added, "A lot of people that were working on it did. We were away for two years. So, of course, I understand why it was a field day for the tabloids to sort of create something that paid their bills."

"The most disappointing part was to see so many people believe the worst version of it, That was definitely a tough ride," expressed the 31-year-old, as per Cosmopolitan.

Refusing to go into "certain details," Grande defended Slater, saying, "There couldn’t be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about him.... 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," remarked Grande. 

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