Ethan Slater spoke to GQ about his relationship with Ariana Grande

Ethan Slater talks candidly about his romance with Ariana Grande.

Slater, 32, will star alongside Grande in the upcoming film. “Wicked” film where he plays Boca opposite Grande’s Glinda. He says it hasn’t been easy for him to get into a relationship that many people are following.

“Obviously it’s been a really, really important year and I think there was something really challenging about the public commenting and looking at things in your personal life,” he told GQ.

“There have really been a lot of big changes in private life, so it’s very difficult to see people who don’t know anything about what’s going on comment on it and speculate and then be wrong about the people you love. So just solving that part of the problem is very difficult.”

Slater and his ex-wife Lilly Jay have a two-year-old son. He filed for divorce in July 2023 amid rumors that he dating grandewho had split from her now ex-husband Dalton Gomez.

Despite the scrutiny, Slater, a Tony Award-nominated actor for his role in Broadway’s SpongeBob SquarePants, is thrilled with how things are going as Wicked prepares to hit audiences.

“But of course it’s been an amazing year and a really beautiful year and I’m really excited. I’m just really, really proud of Ari and the work she did on this. She got into it,” he said.

“I’m very proud that I got to be there for this part of this process, and I’m really excited to be there for the next step when the world sees the amazing thing she’s done.”

Slater also coyed when asked if Grande’s song “Imperfect for You” was about him, as some fans have speculated.

“She’s such an amazing performer, and I think everyone knows how good of a recording artist she is and everything—but I’m just blown away by the songwriting. I like this song,” he said.

For her part, Grande criticized their relationship. was perceived others.

“The most disappointing thing was that so many people believed the worst version,” she said. told Vanity Fair in September. “There cannot be a less accurate picture of a person than that which the tabloids spread about him…”

“No one on this earth tries harder or puts in less effort to be there for the people he loves and cares about. There’s no one on this earth with a better heart, and that’s something no bull tabloid could ever rewrite in real life,” she added.