As the Ariana Grande divorce saga continues, sources are sharing more information about what allegedly went down behind the scenes on the Wicked movie set.
For a quick reminder, TMZ reported on July 17 that Ariana had separated from her husband, Dalton Gomez, after two years of marriage. Three days later, multiple outlets confirmed that she’s now dating her Wicked costar Ethan Slater.
Reports of the new romance sparked controversy among fans, largely because Ethan also recently ended his marriage to his wife, Lilly Jay, with whom he welcomed a son last year.
It’s been assumed that Ethan and Ari met on the set of the musical movie, which started filming back in December in the UK. And in light of their respective divorces, the timeline of their rumored relationship has been brought into question.
While Ariana and Dalton have apparently been separated since January, it’s not entirely clear when Ethan and Lilly parted ways for good.
Before filing for divorce last month, Ethan apparently marked his and Lilly’s fourth wedding anniversary on Instagram with a heartfelt post in November, as well as a Mother’s Day tribute in May — which Ari allegedly liked.
However, despite all this, sources have adamantly denied speculation that Ethan and Ariana engaged in an affair on the Wicked set, insisting that they started dating “months ago” when both parties were newly single.
And now more insiders are speaking out, claiming that the pair spent time together with their then-spouses while they were shooting in London.
“Ariana and Dalton went on double dates with Ethan and Lilly several times — and they were seen out by cast members,” a source recently alleged, adding that Ethan and Lilly also met Ariana’s family together, including her mom, Joan, and her brother, Frankie.
The insider said that these double dates took place while Ari and Ethan were allegedly engaging in an “affair” of their own, which they “flaunted” on set.
“They were sloppy on set,” a source claimed, going on to suggest that their alleged romance was common knowledge among their costars. “They were seen being all over each other while he was still supposedly happily married to Lilly.”
They went on to claim that Ari and Ethan were engaging in PDA at Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar party in March, where they were photographed together.
These reports come just a week after claims that Ariana spent time with Ethan, Lilly, and their newborn baby while Lilly visited the Wicked set in April.
“Ariana met their baby and even held him,” an insider told the Daily Mail. “They had dinners together in London — and Ariana told Lilly that she wanted to have a baby one day and that she couldn't wait to start a family.”
Last week, Lilly also broke her silence on Ethan’s new relationship and publicly slammed Ariana, saying she’s “not a girl’s girl.”
“[Ariana’s] the story, really. Not a girl’s girl,” she told Page Six. “My family is just collateral damage. The story is her and Dalton.”
She later expressed to TMZ that her focus remains on raising her and Ethan’s son and doing her best to “navigate a spotlight” she’s “never wanted or experienced before.”
“I am asking for privacy and respect as an individual who is not in the entertainment industry and as a mom. I ask to be left alone to rebuild my life and raise the beautiful boy I gave birth to last year,” Lilly said.
Meanwhile, Ari’s ex Dalton is apparently “devastated” by the divorce, with reports claiming that a “separation is not what he’s wanted.”
Ethan and Ariana have yet to comment on the speculation surrounding their rumored romance, but some sources maintain that there was no infidelity involved.
