Ethan Slaters wife Lilly Jay: Ariana Grande is the story really. Not a girls girl
Thursday afternoon, People Magazine had yet another exclusive about Ariana Grande and her new boyfriend Ethan Slater. They met when both of them were married to other people, and Ethan’s wife Lilly Jay welcomed their first child just last year. It’s as messy as can be, made messier by two simple facts: Ariana is using her A-lister PR team to steamroll her way into whitewashing her sloppy behavior AND Lilly Jay is not going quietly. “Sources close to Lilly Jay” have been battling it out with “sources close to Ariana Grande” for the past week and it’s been fascinating to watch from a gossip perspective. Anyway, People’s exclusive was another Team Grande piece about how it was “obvious” that Ari and Ethan were “forming a close connection” on the set of Wicked: “They were very sweet to each other and often seen laughing together… Everyone just thought they were both happily married though and didn’t expect them to end up dating.” The source says they’re now “full-on dating.” Barf. Within hours, Lilly Jay spoke on the record to Page Six:
Lilly Jay says her family is “collateral damage” as news broke of her estranged husband Ethan Slater’s budding romance with his “Wicked” co-star Ariana Grande.
“[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl,” Jay exclusively tells Page Six. “My family is just collateral damage.”
The musician, who shares one son with the “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical” star, says she’s focusing on raising her and Slater’s baby and being “a good mom.”
“The story is her and Dalton,” Jay adds, referencing Grande’s split from her husband, Dalton Gomez, to whom she had been married for two years.
However, sources tell Page Six that Jay has been “calling every news outlet to get this story out” while acting differently toward Slater behind the scenes.
“She’s telling Ethan and others that she only cares about protecting their child,” our source shares. “She’s rightfully upset because her marriage fell apart, but Ariana and Ethan didn’t do anything wrong,” our insider adds, telling us that Slater had been separated from Jay for two months before romancing Grande.
“Ethan is trying to take the high road and hopes he can resolve this situation for the sake of their child.”
Those quotes in the second half are from Ariana throwing a tantrum about how Lilly won’t just shut up. Lilly has been “calling every news outlet to get this story out” – yeah, that’s what wronged women do, that’s what many women would do if their husband dumped them for a married costar. “But Ariana and Ethan didn’t do anything wrong” – they truly cheated on their spouses for what will be a six-month relationship at most. Those “sources” keep insisting that Slater left Lilly two months ago when Lilly is making sure everyone knows that she was blindsided by all of this and Ariana’s actions are the real story. Shades of LeAnn Rimes-Eddie Cibrian, huh?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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 
Ariana Grande during the mens’ finals on Day 14 at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Club, London, UK, 16 July 2023,Image: 789502243, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights, Model Release: no, Credit line: Peter van den Berg / Avalon 
62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards held at The Staples Center – Arrivals Featuring: Ariana Grande Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 26 Jan 2020 Credit: CF/Cover Images
USA Rights Only – New York, USA -20180507- Celebrities pose on the famous stairs at the 2018 MET Gala -PICTURED: Ariana Grande -PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com -36372344.jpg 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: Ariana Grande Where: New York, New York, United States When: 07 May 2018 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com **USA Rights Only** 
, 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 
, 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
-New York, NY – 20190304 – Lincoln Center Theater’s benefit performance of Camelot, starring Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Bartlett Sher -PICTURED: Ethan Slater -PHOTO by: Adam Nemser/startraksphoto.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 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. Startraks Photo 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 For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing Featuring: Ethan Slater Where: New York, New York, United States When: 04 Mar 2019 Credit: Adam Nemser/startraksphoto.com 
-New York, NY – 20190602 – The 64th Annual Drama Awards Arrivals -PICTURED: Ethan Slater -PHOTO by: Adam Nemser/startraksphoto.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 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. Startraks Photo 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 For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing Featuring: Ethan Slater Where: New York, New York, United States When: 02 Jun 2019 Credit: Adam Nemser/startraksphoto.comncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcWpoZX54e8Stn5qmj6i5osDEq6qYr5mbsqC4yKWjspealsagrdGimKeZj5y%2ForrDnpaiq4%2Bptaar0q2mq7GPp7KiuMuylqenpJSuoLPIq6Osl5eev617