Ariana Grande is dancing through life — and Ethan Slater is here for it.
The 32-year-old spoke about his girlfriend, 31, and co-star Cynthia Erivo’s emotional press tour for “Wicked” and their acting chops.
“They wear their heart on their sleeves, you know? Their ability to be so connected to their emotions in this way allows for their characters to be so complicated and so nuanced,” Slater said during an interview on SiriusXM Hits 1.
Grande stars as Glinda the Good Witch in the two-part movie musical, while Erivo, 37, plays Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. The pair has been showcasing their close bond during interviews by holding hands and shedding tears. Although sweet, some critics have labeled the interactions as cringey.
Slater, who plays Boq in the film, continued, “And I love this Glinda who is trying to figure out how to be a good person, and I love this Elphaba who is trying to figure out how to fit in. They are so deeply connected to the journeys of these women.”
The “SpongeBob Squarepants” alum noted that their emotional depth has made their interviews so poignant.
” ‘Wicked’ is like, so fun, but Cynthia and Ariana are like, you know, holding hands and crying,” he said.
“But I think it’s because both of those things are true. Like, both of them exist.”
The musical theater vet took a moment to gush over his other half, sharing, “One of my favorite things about Ariana’s performance is that they really exist in the same moment. She can be like the best physical comedian you’ve ever seen on-screen and also be so torn and conflicted about her relationship with Elphaba and so it’s a real privilege to see up close.”
Grande and Slater sparked romance rumors in 2023, just days after news broke that the pop star’s marriage to Dalton Gomez was over.
It was then reveled that Slater had filed for divorce from his high school sweetheart Lilly Jay, with whom he has a 2-year-old son.
The two have continued to keep their romance out of the public eye, but recently made a sweet getaway together to watch “Wicked” with Grande’s grandmother, Marjorie, in Boca Raton, Florida.
Prior to their trip, Grande and Erivo made headlines for a viral interview moment with Out magazine’s Tracy Gilchrist.
The reporter told Erivo and Grande that some viewers “are holding space” with the lyrics of “Defying Gravity,” which sparked an emotional reaction from the “Harriet” alum.
“I didn’t know that was happening. That’s really powerful,” responded Erivo, as Grande reached over and clutched her co-star’s index finger.
Gilchrist has since been mocked by the internet for creating the completely nonsensical phrase, but told Variety on Monday that the interview was conducted a day and a half after the Nov. 5 presidential election, and that she went into the sit-down with “sincere” intentions.
The journalist also explained her personal definition for “holding space.”
“I was very inspired by [senior communications director] Tony Morrison from GLAAD,” she told the outlet. “He posted the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ before I did my interview. It was a great explainer. ‘Holding space’ is being physically, emotionally and mentally present with someone or something. For me, it means being in the moment, not being distracted and feeling something on a cellular level.
“I think you can hold space with lyrics of a song — one you’ve heard hundreds of times — and it can suddenly take on new meaning when you’re a queer person,” Gilchrist continued.
“The Trump administration is targeting LGBTQ+ people via Project 2025. When Cynthia sings ‘I’m through accepting limits,’ there’s power in that. She plays a character who is othered. One who comes to her full power when she is exiled by a charlatan, by a cruel leader.”
The media personality concluded: “There’s a lot of resonance there right now for anyone who is marginalized. For me, holding space is listening to those lyrics anew and finding solace or inspiration.”
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