Ariana Grande’s Wicked co-star and suspected new lover, Ethan Slater, has filed for divorce from his wife Lilly Jay.
The actor and chart-topper met while working on the film adaptation of the megahit Broadway musical, became close in the last year, and are now said to be dating.
Both Ariana and Ethan were married to other people, with news earlier this month that Ariana’s marriage to Dalton Gomez had ended after two years of marriage and the couple had divorced.
Meanwhile, Ethan has been married to wife Lilly since 2018, and their first kid, a son, was born in August.
The father-of-one is now said to have filed for divorce, submitting documents in New York this week.
TMZ reports that they obtained legal documents relating to the divorce, but do not know the specific reasons listed for the split.
Both Ariana and Ethan were unmarried when they started dating, according to sources, but a source close to the actor’s separated wife said she was ‘blindsided’ to hear the reports about Ariana and thought he had ‘abandoned’ her and their kid.
And another source close to the rumoured new couple said the pair were ‘trying to law low and be respectful of their exes as they pursue this new relationship.’
They added it was ‘understandable that emotions are high and it’s hard seeing your ex move on.’
Neither Ethan nor Ariana have officially addressed the rumours.
Ariana apparently spent time with Ethan and Lilly while they were a couple and has previously liked photos on Instagram in which Ethan expressed his love for his wife.
The claims come after it was alleged that Ethan apparently informed his estranged wife of his new connection days before it became public, with Lilly apparently getting no notice.
Ethan and Lilly had been high school sweethearts for ten years before marrying five years ago.