Celebrating Talent: Ethan Slater Applauds Ariana Grande's Artistic Brilliance

Broadway star Ethan Slater was excited to work with singer Ariana Grande on the set of "Wicked." The 32-year-old not only starred alongside the "Yes, And?" singer, but he also fell in love with his costar.

However, their budding love story took place while millions of strangers scrutinized their every move, especially concerning the timeline of Slater's divorce from college sweetheart, Lily Jay. Jay and Slater are the parents of a two-year-old son.

The "Spongebob" star recently sat down with GQ, revealing rare insight into his personal life. The smitten father shared what it was like to fall in love again, painting a picture of the real person behind the screen.

After whispers of a rumored relationship and Slater being the subject of songs on Grande's latest album, the pair began to take their blossoming romance public.

The pair caught fans and spectators' attention as their romance happened amid their respective divorces. Grande split with her husband, Dalton Gomez, in July of 2023, while Slater filed for divorce from Jay after five years of marriage.

The "Redheads Anonymous" actor was rumored to be by Grande's side during the final days of her marriage, as previously reported by The Blast.

Slater's divorce from Jay was reportedly finalized in September, only two months before the first part of "Wicked" will be released in theaters.

The actor's ex-wife was reportedly "blindsided" by her former husband's relationship with the pop star.

The new couple seemed ready to begin their relationship as soon as possible when they moved in together in New York City, per sources close to them. Jay was allegedly aware of her ex's choice to move in with the "Thank U, Next" singer.

Another source seemingly contradicted this information and revealed Jay was only informed of the affair shortly before the public found out.

"Ariana and Ethan weren't careful. They'd hold hands on set in between takes. They were sloppy and not hiding it," the insider said of the new couple's behavior while filming "Wicked."

Slater is well aware of how much speculation has been and continues to be, targeted toward his relationship with the "NASA" singer. The actor was guarded in the new GQ interview, but his love for his new partner was also subtly on display.

The "Fosse/Verdon" actor seemingly lit up when the interviewer asked him, "You fell in love while making this movie. Can you tell me what that was like?" He responded, "That's a really sweet question. That's really nice of you to ask. That's a really sweet question." The reporter noted that Slater appeared to be blushing while giving his answer.

Understandably, the curiosity surrounding the ins and outs of the couple's relationship continues to be of interest to many. Slater praised his girlfriend's songwriting skills, showing off the strong nature of their relationship.

"She’s such an amazing performer, and I think everyone knows how good she is [as] a recording artist and all that—but I’m just really blown away by the songwriting," Slater said about a track from Grande's latest LP, "Imperfect For You."

Slater isn't the only one in the relationship who provided insight into their love affair.

Grande also gave a rare comment about their relationship in a recent interview with Variety.

Describing her man, Grande said, "No one on this earth tries harder or spreads themselves thinner to be there for the people that he loves and cares about," adding, "There is no one on this earth with a better heart, and that is something that no bullsh-t tabloid can rewrite in real life."

Slater may be half of an extremely famous couple, but he has his priorities in line. He expressed a desire to keep the "real people" in his life protected from the negative aspects of living in the public eye.

He continued to GQ, "I am really focused on the real people in my life, who those things affect, and doing right by every real person and not the Twitter people who comment on it."

The first part of "Wicked" will be released in theaters on November 22.