Ethan Slater Addresses Ariana Grande Romance: 'Big Changes'

Ethan Slater has found it "really difficult" to have his private life discussed around the world.

The 32-year-old actor struck up a relationship with his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande, 31, in July 2023 shortly before he filed for his divorce from Lilly Jay and has found it "really hard" adjusting to being linked to one of the world's most famous pop singers.

He told GQ: "Obviously, it was a really super big year. I think there was something that was really difficult about things in your private life being commented on and looked at by the public. There were a lot of big changes in private lives that were really happening, so it’s really hard to see people who don’t know anything about what’s happening commenting on it and speculating, and then getting things wrong about the people you love. So just to address that part of it, that feels really hard."

Ethan, who has a 2-year-old son with his ex-wife, plays munchkin Boq in the new film, which is an adaptation of the smash-hit Broadway musical and serves as an unofficial prequel to The Wizard of Oz.

Ariana is starring as Glinda the Good Witch in the film, and Ethan noted just how "proud" he was to work alongside the "Into You" hit-maker and is just "excited" for the world to finally get to see the finished product.

He added: "But, of course, it was an amazing year and a really beautiful thing, and I’m just really excited. I’m just really, really proud of Ari and the work she’s done on this. She’s poured herself into it. I’m really proud that I got to be there for that part of it, and I’m really excited to be there for this next step of it when the world gets to see the amazing thing that she did."