Lilly Jay, the ex-wife of Wicked star Ethan Slater, has spoken out about her heartbreak following his highly-publicised romance with co-star Ariana Grande. In an emotional essay for The Cut, Lilly described the end of her marriage as one of "the saddest days of my life."
Lilly, a clinical psychologist, was married to Ethan for six years and shares a two-year-old son with him. The couple were high school sweethearts and moved to the UK in 2022 to support Ethan as he filmed Wicked, where he plays Boq opposite Ariana’s Glinda.
A painful public split
© Getty ImagesReflecting on the collapse of her marriage, Lilly revealed the immense pain of seeing Ethan’s relationship with Ariana play out in the public eye. “Days when I can’t escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker,” she shared.
Lilly described moving abroad with their newborn son to support Ethan’s career, only for her world to unravel. “I confidently moved to another country with my 2-month-old baby and my husband to support his career,” she wrote. “Consumed by the magic and mundanity of new motherhood, I didn’t understand the growing distance between us.”
Navigating motherhood and heartbreak
© Universal PicturesDespite the heartbreak, Lilly expressed gratitude for her role as a mother, saying it brought joy even during the darkest moments. “Days with my son are sunny,” she said. “Motherhood, I have learned, fills your time but not your mind.”
She admitted that co-parenting with Ethan has remained a priority, praising him for his dedication to their son. “Both of us fiercely love our son 100 percent of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided,” she emphasised.
A lifetime of sweetness ahead
© Universal PicturesLilly acknowledged the challenges of rebuilding her life in the shadow of Ethan and Ariana’s high-profile relationship. “I never thought I would get divorced, especially not just after giving birth to my first child,” she said. “And especially not in the shadow of my husband’s new relationship with a celebrity.”
However, she remains optimistic about the future. “Slowly but surely, I have come to believe that in the absence of the life I planned with my high-school sweetheart, a lifetime of sweetness is waiting for me and my child,” she wrote.
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s relationship
© Getty ImagesEthan and Ariana’s romance has been under intense scrutiny since it became public in mid-2023. Both were married when they met on the Wicked set. Ariana announced her separation from Dalton Gomez just days before Ethan filed for divorce from Lilly.
While the pair have faced backlash, both have defended their relationship. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Ariana described Ethan as someone who "spreads himself thinner to be there for the people that he loves." Ethan, meanwhile, told GQ about the difficulty of having private matters scrutinised publicly.
A focus on the future
© FilmMagicLilly’s essay reveals her journey through heartbreak, motherhood, and self-discovery. While the public nature of her split has brought its challenges, she remains determined to build a happy life for herself and her son.
Ethan and Ariana are now starring in Wicked, which is turning out to be one of 2024’s most successful films. For Lilly, the journey ahead is one of healing and hope.
“Life doesn’t always go as planned,” she said. “But I’m learning to embrace the sweetness of the unexpected.”
