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Who Is Ethan Slater’s Estranged Wife Lilly Jay Amid His Romance With ‘Wicked’ Costar Ariana Grande?
Ariana Grande’s split from estranged husband Dalton Gomez shocked fans but not any more than her budding romance with her Wicked costar Ethan Slater — who is still a legally married man! Ariana and Ethan’s relationship is reportedly still in its early stages, but now, fans want to know about his estranged wife, Lilly Jay.
Who Is Ethan Slater’s Estranged Wife Lilly Jay?
Ethan and Lilly were reportedly high school sweethearts. They began dating in 2012 and eventually wed in 2018.
Lilly has been involved in science for years, working as a lab assistant since 2017. In December 2020, Ethan congratulated Lilly for her hard work.
“After nearly five years of hard work, hundreds of hours researching and writing over 200 pages worth of paradigm shifting thought in the field of psychology, my wife finally defended her dissertation,” Ethan tweeted at the time. “I am so proud of her and cannot wait to introduce her at parties as kiddo.”
However, she is also reportedly involved in photography and is an advocate against sexual assault. In 2014, Lilly was seen giving a speech at the White House about the trauma that accompanies sexual assault and what society can implement as next steps to help survivors.
It doesn’t appear that Lilly has active or public social media accounts. However, Ethan previously shared tributes to his wife via his personal Instagram profile, which he switched from public to private mode shortly after reports surfaced in July 2023 that he was dating Ariana.
In November 2022, Ethan penned a sweet note for Lilly via Instagram in honor of being together for 10 years.
“My best friend. Four years married, 10 years together,” the SpongeBob Squarepants Broadway alum captioned his post at the time.
Throughout their relationship, Lilly was seen accompanying her estranged husband at several red carpet events, including the 2018 Tony Awards, when he was nominated for Best Actor in a Musical.
Does Ethan Slater Have Kids With His Estranged Wife?
Ethan and Lilly welcomed their first child, a son, in August 2022. He even wished Lilly a “Happy Mother’s Day” via Instagram in May 2023.
“Happy first Mother’s Day to the most loving caring and wonderful mom/person in the world, from me and this little guy,” Ethan captioned the post at the time.
When Did Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande Start Dating?
On July 20, 2023, multiple reports surfaced online claiming that Ethan and Ariana had begun dating after the two were separating from their respective spouses. For her part, Ariana and her now-estranged husband, Dalton, reportedly split in January 2023 following two years of marriage. For Ethan’s part, it is not currently clear when exactly he and Lilly separated.
Despite the buzz surrounding the new couple, neither Ariana nor Ethan has publicly confirmed their romance. The two met while filming Wicked in England. Ariana is portraying Glinda, whereas Ethan is playing the role of Elphaba’s friend Boq.
Lilly, however, broke her silence on the situation on July 27, 2023, noting in a statement, “[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl. My family is just collateral damage. … The story is her and Dalton [Gomez].”
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
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