Fresh reports have shut down speculation that Ethan Slater is trying to reconcile with ex-wife Lilly Jay following his split from Ariana Grande, with sources insisting the former couple remain focused on co-parenting their three-year-old son.
Rumours of a reconciliation emerged after Grande and her 34-year-old Wicked co-star quietly ended their three-year relationship earlier this year. However, sources close to Jay said there is no romantic reunion and that Slater has no intention of rebuilding their marriage.
Reconciliation Rumours Shut Down
According to TMZ's exclusive report, sources close to the former couple said Jay and Slater are not back together despite growing online speculation following his split from Grande. While they remain in regular contact as co-parents, there is no effort to revive their former romantic relationship.
The report follows claims on social media that Slater's breakup with Grande had led him back to his ex-wife. Sources familiar with the situation, however, insisted their relationship remains centred on raising their son and maintaining a stable family dynamic.
Inside Slater and Jay's Relationship
Slater and Jay met as teenagers while attending Georgetown Day School in Washington, DC, and remained together for more than a decade before marrying in 2018. They welcomed their son in August 2022, less than a year before their marriage became the subject of intense public scrutiny.
Their relationship came under the spotlight after Slater's romance with Grande became public in July 2023. The actor later filed for divorce from Jay, with proceedings finalised in September 2024.
Jay has since spoken publicly about the impact the media attention had on her life. In a personal essay, she wrote that the breakdown of her marriage affected both her personal and professional worlds, while describing her family as 'collateral damage' in the public narrative surrounding the split.
Slater's Split From Ariana Grande
The latest report comes less than two months after reports revealed that Grande and Slater had quietly ended their relationship after nearly three years together.
Sources described the breakup as amicable, saying the pair ultimately realised they were 'better off friends than in a committed relationship' and, as previously reported, the former couple continues to have 'nothing but respect and admiration for one another' despite going their separate ways.
Weeks later, reports emerged that Grande had rekindled her romance with former boyfriend Ricky Álvarez after the pair were spotted together on multiple occasions.
Grande further fuelled the rumours after changing the lyrics of her break-up anthem 'Thank U, Next' when referencing Álvarez.
Slater and Grande's Relationship Timeline
Grande and Slater first met in late 2022 while filming the two-part adaptation of Wicked in the UK, where she starred as Glinda and he portrayed Boq. Their relationship became public in July 2023 after both had separated from their spouses.
The romance generated widespread attention because Slater had recently become a father. While the timeline of the relationship was heavily scrutinised, sources close to the couple consistently maintained they did not begin dating until both marriages had ended.
Despite renewed speculation following Slater's breakup with Grande, sources close to the actor maintain that his focus remains on co-parenting his son with Jay rather than pursuing a romantic reconciliation.
