After all that messy affair speculation, it seems like Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater are committed to keeping their new relationship private.
For a quick refresher on all the drama so far, People reported in July that an unnamed source told them the couple is dating, and this came just three days after it was also reported that Ariana had separated from her husband of two years, Dalton Gomez. Ariana and Ethan have yet to personally confirm they are dating.
As for Ethan, he reportedly filed for divorce from his wife Lilly Jay in July, which was also the same time that headlines of his alleged relationship with Ari started to make headlines.
Being that Ariana and Ethan met on the set of the Wicked movies while they were presumably both still married, the timeline of their relationship raised a lot of eyebrows.
Over the summer, more insiders continued to speak out about the alleged infidelity — with one source alleging to the Daily Mail that Ethan, Ari, Dalton, and Lilly went on “several” double dates while their respective marriages were still intact.
Memorably, Ethan’s estranged wife bolstered the widespread cheating speculation by publicly criticizing Ariana, telling Page Six on July 27 that the singer is “not a girl’s girl.”
Amidst all this, other insiders have refuted the narrative that Ethan and Ari’s relationship started as an affair, with a source telling People in September that they “didn’t begin seeing each other until after both parties were separated, respectfully.”
But in spite of all the speculation surrounding the potentially messy beginnings of their relationship, it seems Ariana and Ethan are laying low and focusing on themselves.
As you may know, Ariana’s divorce from Dalton was finalized earlier this month. Comparatively, Ethan and Lilly appear to still be in court.
On Friday, Ethan was seen leaving a courtroom in NYC, where TMZ reported he attended a court hearing relating to his and Lilly’s divorce and custody arrangements.
The former couple share a 13-month-old son. In May of this year, Ethan shared a photograph of their baby’s shadow in a Mother’s Day tribute to Lilly on Instagram, in which he described her as the “most loving, caring, and wonderful mom/person in the world.”
In July, after insiders claimed that Lilly feels “devastated her family’s been torn apart,” TMZ followed up with reports that Ethan “desperately” hopes to remain in his son’s life and coparent with his ex.
So, while Ethan was making his way out of the courtroom after his recent hearing, TMZ took the opportunity to ask him about his coparenting hopes.
Video footage published by the outlet shows the Broadway star giving a faint smile to the camera but staying silent when asked if he plans on “being in [his] son’s life.”
Prior to this question, Ethan also kept a blank face when the photographer quizzed him on his dating life, asking how his “relationship is going with Ariana.”
Of course, in light of the scrutiny surrounding their alleged relationship, it’s hardly a shock that Ethan and Ariana are both staying quiet.
Following reports that the pair now live together in NYC, Ariana and Ethan have been photographed numerous times together. As recently as last week, they were seen getting “flirty” and “touchy-feely” on a dinner date, while seemingly doing their best to stay far away from the cameras.
