Though Ariana Grande is reportedly dating her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater, her estranged husband Dalton Gomez still has hope of reconciliation, according to an insider. He is giving her “space” but wishes to remain in touch.
“Although Dalton knows Ariana has moved on with Ethan, he still hasn’t given up hope that they can make things work,” a source told US Weekly. “On one hand, Dalton wants to give Ariana her space, but on the other, he’s been trying to remain in contact with her.”
They added, “What they had was the real deal and he’s still coming to terms with the fact that they’ve split. His friends have been trying to set him up with people and although he’s been dating, he’s still holding out that him and Ariana will get back together.”
Gomez and Grande married in May 2021 and separated earlier this year. Grande has been filming Wicked in London since December 2022, and the source said, “The distance did not help.”
Grande’s new beau Slater is also recently separated from his wife Lilly Jay.
“Ariana and Dalton split in January, and Ethan is separated from his wife,” the source claimed. “Ariana and Ethan have only recently begun seeing each other but they have a lot of fun together and are enjoying each other’s company.”
Jay, on the other hand, appears to believe the timeline isn’t as clean as the insider states. On Thursday, July 27, she said in an interview with Page Six, “[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl. My family is just collateral damage. The story is her and Dalton.”
Slater and Jay are high school sweethearts who married in 2018. The Spongebob Squarepants actor filed for divorce on Wednesday in New York state.
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.
