Ethan Slater Explains Why He Keeps His Son Private During Ariana Grande Romance

Ethan Slater, the Broadway star of Wicked: For Good, is keeping his son’s life private and doesn’t plan to change that anytime soon.

The actor, who is dating his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande, spoke about his approach to fatherhood during a recent appearance on The Downside With Gianmarco Soresi podcast.

“I try not to tell stories about my son because I want to let him meet the world and let the world meet him on his own terms,” Slater said. “So I don’t tell stories or anecdotes.”

Despite his focus on privacy, Slater shared a small glimpse into his life with his son, whom he has with ex-wife Lilly Jay.

Reflecting on recent holiday celebrations, he said, “I will just say that having that moment of lighting candles [on the menorah] with him and talking about what it means to be Jewish has been a really interesting experience. And so, I’m grateful for that in a sea of not being grateful for a lot of other things. I’ve been finding some hope in that.”

Slater and Jay finalized their divorce in September 2024 after breaking up during the filming of the musical hit. Jay has previously spoken about their co-parenting arrangement.

In a December 2024 essay for The Cut, she wrote, “While our partnership has changed, our parenthood has not. Both of us fiercely love our son 100 percent of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided.” She added, “Days with my son are sunny. Days when I can’t escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker.”

It’s clear that both Slater and Jay are committed to keeping their son’s life private while navigating co-parenting, even as Slater pursues a high-profile romance with Ariana Grande.

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