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Wicked star Ariana Grande is being labeled as a homewrecker by fans on social media after an essay on The Cut by Dr. Lilly Jay about her divorce from actor Ethan Slater. Slater co-stars alongside Grande in the new musical movie, and the two began dating in the Summer of 2023, shortly after Jay gave birth to she and Slater’s son.
The pair officially completed their divorce in September of 2024. Jay does not address Grande directly in the essay, but does discuss the pain that the divorced caused her as well as her traumatic childbirth experience.
Dr. Lily Jay Opens Up On Divorce And Ariana Grande-Ethan Slater Relationship
“No one gets married thinking they’ll get divorced, in the same way we don’t board a plane expecting to crash,” she wrote. “But I really never thought I would get divorced. Especially not just after giving birth to my first child and especially not in the shadow of my husband’s new relationship with a celebrity.”
Slater revealed that she suffered from preeclampsia, a life-threatening birth complication, and finally, our family was whole. She also spoke about how her education as a psychologist prepared for post-pregnancy and the strain it can’t place on a relationship. But she never envisioned Slater’s relationship with Grande or the eventual divorce it would lead to.
“It’s hard to measure an absence, and I can’t say for sure how much my career has been impacted by what’s out there online,” she wrote. “But there have been hints along the way, like the job offer that dissolved without explanation after yet another tabloid news cycle or the patient who’s scheduled for a first appointment but seemingly vanishes. On my darker days, I railed against the unfairness of a public divorce…”
The essay quickly made its way onto social media, where vitriol spread not only to Slater, but to Grande as well.
“Ariana confirmed a homewrecker and her hideous boyfriend confirmed a cheater…i wish nothing but the worst for the 2 of them,” one person wrote.
“Ariana isn’t even breaking up a marriage for money or fame she’s just a real home wrecker for the love of the game,” said another.
Neither Grande nor Slater have addressed the article. Nor do we expect that they will. But it’s a subplot surrounding an otherwise highly anticipated movie that seems to have lived up to the hype.