Inside Ariana Grande's Split From Ethan Slater: What Went Wrong
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's private split was far from dramatic.
"After their press tour [for Wicked: For Good] died down, they had been spending more time apart than usual," a source exclusively shared with Us Weekly of what led to the demise of the pair's relationship. "They both agreed they wanted different things and had been working through what the future holds together."
Although the couple's romance has dwindled since the November 2025 release of their hit film, the insider explained that there is still affection between Grande, 32, and Slater, 34.
"They both care about each other," the source shared, "and hoped things would work out." (Us Weekly has reached out to both parties for comment.)
Slater's continued respect for Grande was certainly undeniable on Monday, June 8, after Us confirmed the duo had split after nearly three years of dating.
According to social media users, Slater liked the Grammy winner's recent Instagram post, in which she celebrated a recent performance of The Eternal Sunshine Tour.
"Oakland, night one … ♡ it feels impossible to find the words at this time … so for now, just thank you," Grande wrote via Instagram. "From the bottom of my heart. I love you all more than words can ever possibly say. And I missed you. Thank you."
As Grande enters a new chapter of her life, the "Thank U, Next" singer remains focused on putting on the best performances for her fans.
After news broke of her split from Slater, Grande posted photos of some of her tour looks styled by Law Roach.
"It's amicable. They gave lots of time and careful consideration and decided to go their separate ways," a source previously told Us about the split. "They are still friends and very supportive of one another. They have been quietly broken up for several months."
The insider added that Grande "is doing great" and has been "focused" on her tour and upcoming new album, Petal.
News broke in July 2023 that Slater and Grande sparked a real-life romance following their respective splits from Lilly Jay and Dalton Gomez.
The two actors, who portray Boq and Galinda/Glinda in the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway hit Wicked, tried to keep their relationship out of the spotlight.
Slater, however, couldn't help but gush about how proud he was of Grande on multiple occasions.
"She's poured herself into it," he told GQ in October 2024 when praising his then-girlfriend's Wicked performance. "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."
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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 1:50 PM.