Last summer, the weirdest “affair” story broke. Ariana Grande had left her then-husband for her Wicked costar Ethan Slater, who was also married. Ethan and his wife Lilly Jay had welcomed a son not even one year before Ariana put a wrecking ball through their marriage. Not only did Ethan and Ariana’s affair blow up both of their marriages, Ariana then tried to PR her way out of the image-damaging drama, only for Lilly to (accidentally) go on the record, blasting Ariana in an interview with Page Six. We covered all of that more – check through our Ethan Slater archives for all of the insanity. Well, Ethan and Ari have been together ever since, even as Ethan tried to negotiate a quiet divorce from Lilly. It’s finally come through, more than a year later. Their divorce was just finalized.
Ethan Slater and Lilly Jay are finally divorced, because they’ve come to a settlement … TMZ has learned.
According to new court docs, obtained by TMZ, the Broadway star and his high school sweetheart have settled their divorce and a judge has signed off as of Thursday.
The terms of the settlement are sealed, as all divorces are in NY state.
Ethan and Lilly, who grew up together in Maryland, first began dating in 2012 … later relocating to New York City in 2014 — where ES pursued his theater dream. In fact, Lilly walked the 2018 Tony Awards red carpet with Ethan — where he was nominated for his work as SpongeBob SquarePants in the musical adaptation of the Nickelodeon cartoon.
The longtime loves were married that same year … welcoming their first child together, a son, 4 years later in 2022. However, Ethan and Lilly’s storybook romance came to an end a year later in July 2023, when Ethan filed for divorce.
If I was in Lilly’s situation, I would have made him pay through the nose. I would have aimed for Ariana’s money too, I don’t care. What was always crazy about it is that it’s not like Ariana keeps her boyfriends or husbands around for very long. I’m sort of shocked that she’s still with Ethan, although they’re probably trying to stick together through Wicked’s promotion. Ethan wrecked his marriage for what? A couple of years as Ari’s little buddy. What a mess. Oh well, I’m glad Lilly is rid of him. I hope she has an amazing life.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red, Instagram.
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- Ethan Slater arrives at The 72nd Annual Tony Awards on June 10, 2018 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, New York, USA.,Image: 515364602, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Robin Platzer/Twin Images / Twin Images / Avalon
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- Ariana Grande on the red carpet of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024.,Image: 855781698, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- , New York, NY – 20180610 Celebrities attend the 72nd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. -PICTURED: Ethan Slater -PHOTO by: Kristin Callahan/ACE/Instarimages.com -061018_TonyAwards_K072 This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Ethan Slater Where: New York, New York, United States When: 10 Jun 2018 Credit: Kristin Callahan/ACE/Instarimages.com
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- , New York, NY – 20180610 Celebrities attend the 72nd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. -PICTURED: Ethan Slater -PHOTO by: Kristin Callahan/ACE/Instarimages.com -061018_TonyAwards_K071 This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Ethan Slater Where: New York, New York, United States When: 10 Jun 2018 Credit: Kristin Callahan/ACE/Instarimages.com
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- Celebrities attend the 2024 Met Gala Celebrating ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City Featuring: Ariana Grande Where: New York, United States When: 06 May 2024 Credit: Michael Stewart/INSTARimages.com
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- Ariana Grande watches the Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers during game two of the Stanley Cup Finals at Amerant Bank Area Featuring: Ariana Grande Where: Sunrise, Florida, United States When: 10 Jun 2024 Credit: Robert Bell/INSTARimages
I cringe laugh when I hear Ari’s “the boy is mine.” She’s brag singing about this troll twerp adulterer? Why, Ari?
Hahaha so cringe. And Ariana is stuck with him until Wicked 2 promo is over which is when? Is there even a release date yet? Both are asshole adulterers.
Gross. The song is not even good. Anyway, Ariana’s doesnt even care whether she’s with him or any other dude: it’s thank you, next for her, and that’s whether he’s married or not, whether she’s married or not. There is no value for marriage for her, she’s proven that and we’ve seen how little respect she has for others (licking donuts for sale? Eww.)
Anyway, but spongebob is going to regret this. He had somebody who grew up with him, knew him from the start, etc, that was a priceless thing to have and he fckd that up. Regrets for life.
Ari will dump him when the promo tour for Wicked is over – IIRC he’s not really in the 2nd half of the musical that much so he might not even make it into the 2nd movie.
Ari’s career will be fine after this but his, not so sure.
He will end up regretting this. And I hope his ex-wife slams the door in his face if he ever comes slithering back. She deserves better!
While I completely understand the sentiment (extreme anger for the implosion of their marriage due to his dalliance with Ariana), one cannot “aim for Ariana’s” cash. Ethan & Ariana are not married and do not share joint assets and therefore, those monies are not in play. The court would have very much frowned upon that and future dealings with the court could be jeopardized. Lilly had handled what must have been a devastating time with grace & class.
Yeah, I don’t get going after Ariana’s cash. Ethan is the guy who she was married to and he was the only one who could prevent breaking up his marriage in the first place.
“ The longtime loves were married that same year … ” Longtime loves? This is pure shade from TMZ.
I’m not seeing any shade there. Ethan and Lilly had been dating for six years prior to getting married, I think that qualifies as long.
Depending on the laws of the state, she could have sued Ariana for alienation of affection.
North Carolina here, and yes, in our state you can go for alienation of affection. I hear it’s not very common, but I imagine it’s a nice tool to get a good settlement from your husband.
I was going to say, that’s the plot of a Ginger Rogers-Fred Astaire movie, alienation of affection. And money.
Maybe through an NDA? I’m sure Ariana will want Lilly quiet through the Wicked promotion. This wouldn’t be in the divorce settlement, obviously, but is adjacent to that and Lilly could play hardball with Ariana on it.
You’re probably right that Lily can’t attach Ariana’s cash since there’s no legal arrangement between her and Sponge Bob actor. But by the same token she might have demanded that nonlegal girlfriend Ariana be nowhere in sight during child visitation. That’s the creepiest part of this story is Ariana gushing over holding their child 🤮🤮 and him allowing it. Seriously doubt little Glinda player will want to legalize her affair with marriage after the Wicked franchise is done.
Pr-wise, it’s better for Ari if she is divorced and she might pay to move that along
I would be surprised if Ari and Lily didn’t reach an NDA payout. When Justin Theroux stepped out on his longtime S.O., you know that Jennifer A paid up for silence. Years later the mother of the ex-SO gave an interview in which she said, my daughter was devastated from the betrayal ( Justin lied to her about it at first), she signed an NDA but I didn’t, and I’m saying this caused wreckage. Likewise the young women who were affair partners of Adam Levine and Dave Grohl. After a spate of social media posting from these women, silence, which means they got a payout (I’m assuming, speculating about Dave, it’s early days).
A final word about payout to the un-moneyed and abandoned partner. I am sorry that Anna Marie T clear was muzzled in her writing about John Mulvaney’s actions. That’s what put her in a state of crisis. It sounds like she did a graceful workaround, but man, he really screwed her over.
Hope Lily played the hardest of hardball.
When I saw him I knew there was no way these two would last past 3 years. I don’t believe she left her husband for this guy. I think AG has him around to soothe her ego. Once she sets her eyes on a sexy guy baby man will be history.
She already has. And it’s happening.
Her and Penn Badgley.
Watch this space.
He’s married? We know she doesn’t care, but he’s talked before about fidelity in marriage being very important to him….
Well that would be a big step-up from old carrothead…
Off topic but I used to see him on the subway all the time. Thought he was gross on gossip girl but he is SO HOT in person. He smolders.
God love her. She stays messy.
Fidelity being important to Penn makes him more of a challenge which probably excites her. I hope that he means what he says and stays true to his family.
I wish for Lilly to have peace and joy with her child and to have blazing success in her career. I hope that she lives a life well lived.
(And the devil on my shoulder tells me that it’s okay that I hope that Ethan and Ari are feeling stuck with each other for a long time. LOL).
When I saw the top photo of these two people ,I thought Who? Neighbors down the block? Then I read he is a “Broadway Star” . I must live a terribly isolated existence. Anyway, good luck and best wishes to Lilly.
Can’t imagine how Lily handled this, getting left by your husband while still postpartum with a baby. They were together a long time before having a child, still there is no guarantee your husband will care more about his genital than his family. I hope Ariana will never feel the same pain she and her boyfriend caused to Lily.
A lot of men get weird when babies are born. There isn’t as much attention for them and they take it personally.
Howdy Doody will get kicked to the curb pretty soon. I guess when his children are older he can tell them the story of why he blew up a happy home for a few years with AG.
I honestly think they’re only still going because of the PR issues. It would not be a good look if the story at the time of the movie’s release was “cheating co-stars’ romance not such a fairytale after all.” As for Lilly Jay, I wish her a life of happiness next to a guy who won’t cheat on her and who she won’t feel the need to slouch for.
LOL! As another tall girl, I wish the same for her. She deserves better than this.
I think Ariana did Lily a huge favor. It’s super tough when you’re going through it. And being a single parent is no joke, but she will look back on it and be like yep that was the catalyst where I discovered I married a POS. Many women don’t find out what their husbands are made of until a kid is in the picture. The real men step up. The weak ones have affairs – you were always with the baby you didn’t pay attention to meeeeeee. I hate that this information only comes to light when a kid is born, but you get a few clues here and there you just have to learn to look for them. Unfortunately in your 20s and 30s you often can’t spot the clues, or you overlook them.
Parental worship, especially from your mom, is a huge clue you may be marrying a narcissist. That’s not always the case, but it is the case often. Look at the relationship with the guy and his mom. I don’t know enough about Spongebob (and frankly I’m too lazy and don’t care enough about him to google it) to know how his mama treats him but I had to guess I’d say he got worshipped. As is the case often with the successful son.
I hope Lily has a fantastic life! I know I did! I traveled the whole world with my kid, got my own place, and when my kid is with his dad I eat cereal for dinner and watch crime shows like OMITB with my dog on the bed. It’s pure heaven – at least for me it is.
🙂 Your last paragraph is really sweet!
Thank you BeanieBean! xo
Team Lilly! I hope SpongeBob StupidPants was taken to the cleaners. Lilly was way out of his league. She can do so much better than that fugly twerp. I hope she and her little boy make a fabulous life for themselves.
I hope Ethan has to ask his future girlfriend for spending money and a ride to work at Chili’s hehehehehehe
Someone here had posted a link to side-by-side pix of SpongeBob and Ariana’s brother and now I can’t unsee the resemblance.
I think there is something incredibly wrong with both Ariana’s vision & her decision-making abilities. How/why did she blow up 2 marriages for THIS guy? The way he wears a baseball cap (pointed to the sky) is such a red flag move. Not hot. Maybe he’s got the world’s best personality????
It is possible her marriage wasn’t going great. So, when she was working in UK, away from her husband, the attention from another guy would feel good. I am sure the guy told her lies about his marriage too and got his chance with a famous popstar while his wife was taking care of their baby in USA.
Also, as disgusting as it is, there is a known theory that we are attracted to faces familiar to us and Ethan looks like the straight version of her brother unfortunately 🤮🤮 That might explain what she sees in him.
He is…deeply unattractive.
And also kinda creepy looking? He reminds me of that creepy ventriloquist dummy from The Twilight Zone.
I wouldn’t care if he had the best personality in the world, along with the biggest d!ck I’ve ever seen.
I’d never.
EVER.
Is he a prize? Apparently to Ariana he is. He looks like a little boy being hugged in a dominant way by his dominant Mommy in every picture with his wife. Maybe he’s super submissive and Ariana really likes that power dynamic. Submissive guys can be wonderful in bed too, trying to make you happy or at least letting you take control. I think there’s a lot of inherent power struggles in modern marriage about male vs female dominance, ideas, leadership etc. Who makes more money? Who does more housework? Who takes care of the kids more? If a caring, submissive guy is already willing to help out, to put her feelings as equal to his own in thoughts, words and actions I can see why she’d consider it. At the end of the day we’re all just armchair quarterbacking her love life. When people make big life changing decisions like this maybe they see something special in each other. I also think she’s got a pattern and in all likelihood will drop him for another costar once she realizes he has flaws. I think it’s okay for her to have free agency to date who she wants how she wants. The issue is the marriage vows, maybe she should wait before marrying next time. No need to rush something like that anyways.
What an incredibly refreshing, honest, thoughtful, and level-headed take.
Thank you.
No shade.
That being said, I’ve been with every color in the rainbow and I’ve never been with such a quirky lookin’ fella (and being married I don’t think I ever will). While I do enjoy different types of unconventional power dynamics in fiction, it’s never carried over for me IRL.
Oh good a submissive cheater. What a catch!
Well now that Ethan’s no longer married, I assume Ariana will lose all interest in him.
I give it three months TOPS before Ariana dumps him. She needs to save face and also she is still knee deep in press for film they’re both in. Also Ariana loves drama. Now that he is a divorced and single and ACTUALLY available – she won’t want him anymore.
Hope Ari likes kissing a guy that looks like a foot! Ugh imagine THAT being on top of you with his s&x face 🤢
I don’t see them lasting but it does worry me how thin Ariana has gotten. But in any case they get to flaunt their coupledom at the Wicked premiere pretty soon