![OK Logo](https://okmagazine.com/ok_logo_black_small.png)
Ariana Grande's Inner Circle Approves of New Boyfriend Ethan Slater: 'They Think He’s the Perfect Match for Her'
![ariana grandes inner circle approves new boyfriend ethan slater](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/MC0Ut_0Wl/480x251/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700686550903.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/MC0Ut_0Wl/640x335/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700686550903.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/MC0Ut_0Wl/768x402/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700686550903.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/MC0Ut_0Wl/1024x536/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700686550903.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/MC0Ut_0Wl/1280x670/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700686550903.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/MC0Ut_0Wl/1440x753/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700686550903.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/MC0Ut_0Wl/1600x837/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700686550903.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/MC0Ut_0Wl/2160x1130/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700686550903.jpg 2160w)
Ariana Grande's friends and family aren't saying "thank you, next," to her beau Ethan Slater!
Though their romance started with drama — the actor was still married to Lilly Jay when reports of his relationship with the singer surfaced in July — a source said her loved ones "adore" the dad-of-one.
![ariana grandes inner circle approves new boyfriend ethan slater](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/LZGmsw7eF/480x359/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700685649549.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/LZGmsw7eF/640x478/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700685649549.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/LZGmsw7eF/768x574/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700685649549.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/LZGmsw7eF/1024x765/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700685649549.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/LZGmsw7eF/1280x956/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700685649549.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/LZGmsw7eF/1440x1075/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700685649549.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/LZGmsw7eF/1600x1195/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700685649549.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/LZGmsw7eF/2160x1613/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1700685649549.jpg 2160w)
The couple posed with Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells after a 'Spamalot' show.
"Ethan and Ariana’s relationship is getting super serious," an insider spilled to a magazine. "They’re both very involved in each other’s lives.”
They proved as much earlier this month when the singer, 30, attended previews and the opening night show of Spamalot on Broadway, which the actor has a role in.
Though the duo has kept their romance away from the cameras, Grande happily posed with some merch and the playbill in photos shared by her pal Elizabeth Gillies.
![ariana grandes inner circle approves new boyfriend ethan slater](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/oWcGwsalf/480x359/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-2-1700686019771.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/oWcGwsalf/640x478/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-2-1700686019771.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/oWcGwsalf/768x574/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-2-1700686019771.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/oWcGwsalf/1024x765/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-2-1700686019771.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/oWcGwsalf/1280x956/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-2-1700686019771.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/oWcGwsalf/1440x1075/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-2-1700686019771.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/oWcGwsalf/1600x1195/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-2-1700686019771.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/oWcGwsalf/2160x1613/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-2-1700686019771.jpg 2160w)
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater sparked romance rumors in July.
"They’re both super family-oriented and love that about each other," added the insider, noting the Scream Queens alum has met Slater and Jay's son, 15-month-old Ezra. (Slater filed for divorce on July 26.)
"They think he’s the perfect match for her," the source gushed. "Ethan is extremely respectful of her boundaries and her profession."
![ariana grandes inner circle approves new boyfriend ethan slater](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-3a7m_zkh/480x359/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685909284.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-3a7m_zkh/640x478/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685909284.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-3a7m_zkh/768x574/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685909284.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-3a7m_zkh/1024x765/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685909284.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-3a7m_zkh/1280x956/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685909284.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-3a7m_zkh/1440x1075/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685909284.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-3a7m_zkh/1600x1195/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685909284.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/-3a7m_zkh/2160x1613/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685909284.jpg 2160w)
The pair met on the set of the 'Wicked' movie.
As OK! reported, the couple allegedly moved in together in the Big Apple, though his co-parenting situation with his estranged wife is unclear, as one source said the Broadway star is "desperately" trying to work out a schedule with Jay.
The nature of the romance is messy, as when they linked up earlier this year, Grande was still married to Dalton Gomez. However, it's been claimed that the two split months earlier, though they didn't file for divorce until this September.
![ariana grandes inner circle approves new boyfriend ethan slater](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aSUWCDXY/480x359/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685934066.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aSUWCDXY/640x478/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685934066.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aSUWCDXY/768x574/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685934066.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aSUWCDXY/1024x765/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685934066.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aSUWCDXY/1280x956/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685934066.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aSUWCDXY/1440x1075/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685934066.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aSUWCDXY/1600x1195/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685934066.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/6aSUWCDXY/2160x1613/ariana-grandes-inner-circle-approves-new-boyfriend-ethan-slater-1-1700685934066.jpg 2160w)
Slater shares one son with estranged wife Lilly Jay.
A source close to Slater, 31, insisted he didn't cheat on the mother of his child — however, she seemed to hint otherwise.
"[Ariana’s] the story, really. Not a girl’s girl," Jay shockingly told Page Six. "My family is just collateral damage." She added that going forward, she wants to stay away from the drama and just focus on being "a good mom."
Powered by RedCircle
Jay and the Tony nominee were high school sweethearts who tied the knot in 2018.
Meanwhile, Grande and her former spouse, 28, were married for just two years before parting ways.
According to an insider, the pop star and the real estate guru's marriage soured when she started filming overseas for Wicked last year, as they were hardly able to spend any time together since Gomez is based in Los Angeles.
Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!
Though Gomez flew across the pond in a last ditch effort to save their union, they both realized it was over.
"They came to the decision together," one insider stated of the divorce. "They were having problems before January, but they want to remain best friends."
Us Weekly reported on Grande's inner circle approving of Slater.