Ariana Grande Is Dating Her 'Wicked' Costar Ethan Slater After Dalton Gomez Split: Sources

The pop star and the Broadway alum, who starred in the 'SpongeBob SquarePants' musical, will both appear in the 'Wicked' movie

Ariana Grande is moving on after her split from husband Dalton Gomez.

The “Thank U, Next” singer, 30, is dating Broadway alum Ethan Slater, her costar in the upcoming film adaptation of Wicked, sources confirm to PEOPLE.

“Ariana and Dalton separated in January," one source says. "She and Ethan recently began dating, and he is separated from his wife."

Reps for both stars have not returned multiple requests for comment. TMZ was first to report the news.

Grande is set to play Glinda in Universal’s film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, while Slater, 31, will play Boq, the love interest of Elphaba’s sister Nessarose.

The movie began shooting in the U.K. last year and was scheduled for release in November 2024, though it remains unclear if the SAG-AFTRA strike will affect its premiere.

Related: Who Is Ariana Grande’s New Boyfriend? All About Her 'Wicked' Costar Ethan Slater

The new romance comes after Grande and estranged husband Gomez, 27, separated earlier this year after nearly two years of marriage. A source told PEOPLE on Monday that the couple “have been quietly and lovingly working on their friendship” since.

An insider told PEOPLE this week that Grande’s work on the Wicked movie across the pond was partially to blame, as it put a long-distance strain on the couple (Gomez is a luxury real estate agent based in Los Angeles).

"She was happy in Los Angeles for a couple of years. She wanted to make a life there with Dalton," the source said. "He is super focused on his career and needs to live in Los Angeles. It's definitely been an issue for them. Dalton's career is demanding and he can't leave Los Angeles often. So when [Grande] started filming Wicked in England, they were in for a long-distance marriage."

Related: Why Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez Split After 2 Years of Marriage: Source (Exclusive)

Related: Ariana Grande Enjoys Wimbledon Outing with 'Wicked' Costar Jonathan Bailey — See the Photos!

Though the relationship eventually "didn't work," the insider said "Ari has nothing but kind words to say about Dalton. During their marriage, he was her No. 1 fan."

Slater, meanwhile, married high school classmate Lilly Jay in November 2018. In January, he revealed that he and Jay had welcomed their first child by sharing a photo of a onesie that read “Wicked Cute.”

“Super vague post, but we have a baby now,” he wrote, later confirming on Mother’s Day that they’d welcomed a son. It remains unclear when the couple, who had been together since 2012, split.

A graduate of Vassar College, Slater rose to fame playing the title role in the SpongeBob SquarePants musical on Broadway, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award in 2018.

“It was a stroke of luck,” he told PEOPLE that year of the gig, which came after he met the show’s casting director during a theater apprenticeship.

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