Ethan Slater’s Ex-Wife Lilly Jay Breaks Silence on ‘Public Downfall’ of Marriage and His ‘Celebrity’ Relationship

Ethan Slater is currently dating his ‘Wicked’ costar Ariana Grande

Lilly Jay is reflecting on the fallout after her marriage with Ethan Slater ended.

In an essay for The Cut published Thursday, Dec. 18, Jay, a clinical psychologist specializing in perinatal mental health and child development, wrote about Slater’s relationship with his Wicked costar Ariana Grande (though she doesn’t mention the pop star by name) after their split and the difficulties she faced as a result.

Much of Jay’s words also address her life as a mom to her and Slater’s 2-year-old son in the context of their divorce. As she explained, “Motherhood, I have learned, fills your time but not your mind.”

“In the countless hours I spend rocking my son to sleep, pushing his stroller, marveling at his sweaty little hands grasping a crayon, I work diligently on my private project of accepting the sudden public downfall of my marriage,” Jay continued. “This, I tell myself, is nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to hide.”

She added, “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.”

Slater, 32, and Grande, 31, began dating after his separation from Jay earlier this year and following her separation from ex-husband Dalton Gomez.

The Broadway actor’s divorce from Jay was finalized in September, 12 years after they began dating and nearly six years after their November 2018 wedding. (Their son was born in August 2022.)