Ethan Slater Reveals Why Talking About His Son Is Off Limits Amid Ariana Grande Romance

Ethan Slater is keeping his son out of the spotlight, prioritizing his child's privacy in the midst of media frenzy fueled by his romance with Ariana Grande.

"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, who stars in Wicked: For Good, shared during a recent episode of “The Downside With Gianmarco Soresi” podcast. He expressed gratitude but refrained from sharing personal anecdotes about his son with ex-wife Lilly Jay.

Despite his discretion, Slater did reveal a meaningful moment with his son. “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," he said. "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, known for his role as Boq and transformation into the Tin Man in Wicked: For Good, has previously hinted at the joys of parenthood. In an October 2024 interview with GQ, he described being a father as “the best thing in the world.”

He admitted to the complexities of navigating new parenthood, saying, “It's been an interesting thing to navigate as a new parent. There's nothing I want to do more than just show you pictures and talk about him because he’s the best and the light of my life.”

However, he emphasized his desire for his child to engage with the world authentically. "I want him to meet the world in an analog way and not through my words," Slater noted.

The actor finalized his divorce from Jay in September 2024 after their relationship ended amid the making of the musical blockbuster. Jay has also addressed their co-parenting dynamics, writing in a December 2024 essay for The Cut, “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.”

Reflecting on their new chapter, she stated that her happiest days are spent with their son, while darker moments arise when she cannot escape the promotion of a film tied to "the saddest days of my life."