Rumors that Ethan Slater could reunite with his ex-wife Lilly Jay following his reported split from Ariana Grande have been shut down.

According to a source close to Jay, there is no romantic reconciliation between the former spouses despite recent speculation after Slater’s breakup with his Wicked co-star.

While Slater and Jay remain connected through their young son, the insider said their relationship is now focused solely on co-parenting.

Ethan Slater And Lilly Jay Are Focused On Coparenting

A source close to Lilly Jay told TMZ that she and Ethan Slater are “absolutely not” getting back together. The insider also dismissed claims that Slater is trying to rekindle their marriage following the end of his nearly three-year relationship with Ariana Grande, saying the former couple’s relationship is now “strictly about co-parenting.”

Slater and Jay were together for 11 years and married for nearly five before their relationship came to an end. Their split drew widespread attention after news of Slater’s romance with Grande surfaced.

The Broadway actor and the pop star met while filming the movie adaptation of Wicked in 2022, with their relationship becoming public in July 2023, shortly after both had separated from their spouses. Grande was previously married to real estate agent Dalton Gomez.

Ariana Grande Reportedly Reconciles With Ricky Alvarez

The clarification about Slater and Jay’s relationship comes just days after reports claimed Ariana Grande has rekindled her romance with former boyfriend Ricky Alvarez.

Grande and Alvarez first dated in 2015 after meeting while he was working as a backup dancer on her Honeymoon Tour. Their relationship lasted for about a year before they went their separate ways.

Speculation about a reunion intensified after fans noticed Grande appeared to reference Alvarez during performances of “Thank U, Next” on her current tour, with some claiming she changed lyrics and gave him affectionate shout-outs on stage.

Ariana Grande Has Pushed Back Against Public Scrutiny

Grande’s personal life has long been the subject of public scrutiny, something she directly addressed with her 2024 single “Yes, And?” In the song, the former Nickelodeon star pushed back against strangers commenting on her appearance and speculating about her relationships.

Over the years, Grande has repeatedly said she does not believe the public is entitled to judge her body, health, or romantic life simply because she lives in the spotlight.

That conversation intensified again after the release of “Petal” and its accompanying music video on July 31. While the project drew attention for its music, much of the online discussion shifted toward Grande’s appearance, fueling widespread speculation about her health despite no public medical information or diagnosis supporting those claims.

Social Media Users Sparked Concern Over Singer’s Appearance

Some social media users drew comparisons between Ariana Grande and late singers Amy Winehouse and Karen Carpenter, fueling further online discussion about the pop star’s appearance.

Meghan McCain weighed in on X, comparing the public reaction surrounding Grande to the intense scrutiny Winehouse faced before her death in 2011. Another user shared a photo of Carpenter taken shortly before her death, writing, “This is singer Karen Carpenter, a month before she died of anorexia at only 32 years old.”

Carpenter died in 1983 at the age of 32 following complications related to anorexia nervosa. However, those online comparisons do not establish anything about Grande’s health or support conclusions about her current condition.

Ariana Grande Plans To Step Away From The Spotlight

As the online speculation continued, one of Ariana Grande’s representatives told PEOPLE that the singer plans to step back from the spotlight after wrapping up her Eternal Sunshine Tour.

According to the spokesperson, Grande will be “taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” describing the decision as a response to years of constant public scrutiny surrounding her appearance and personal life.

“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” the representative said. “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

The statement did not disclose any medical diagnosis or suggest that Grande’s planned break was related to a health condition.

Source: Various