Dr. Lilly Jay’s personal essay for The Cut caused quite the internet sensation. The psychologist revealed the emotional impact of divorcing “in the shadow of my husband’s new relationship with a celebrity.” Jay was married to her high school sweetheart, Ethan Slater, who left her for Ariana Grande — although everyone seems to have a different timeline on this relationship.
In the wake of the headlines, sources are speaking about Slater and Jay’s divorce and how she was “essentially silenced” from telling her tale. But Jay found a way around the situation after their divorce was finalized in September, according to the Daily Mail. An insider explained that Jay was “restricted from disclosing certain details about the events that transpired” which is why her essay focused more on her own experience and alluded to the Wicked duo’s reported fling while they were married to others.
The court of public opinion is siding with Jay, who was suffering from postpartum depression after the birth of the couple’s son and their move to London so he could film Wicked. “During the legal proceedings, Lilly was essentially silenced, unable to speak freely. Despite the circumstances, she came out of the divorce a winner,” claimed the source. “Though she was approached by nearly every media outlet, Lilly didn’t want to give an interview until she was ready. She wanted to control her own narrative and tell her story on her own terms. And she did just that.”
While Slater and Grande were reportedly “relieved” that Jay wasn’t harsh about them, they still have to face the public who now has an inside view on this love triangle (or square since Grande was married to Dalton Gomez at the time). In July 2023, Us Weekly had a scathing report on Slater and Grande’s behavior on the set.
“They’d hold hands on set in between takes. They were sloppy and not hiding it,” the source shared while noting that Slater and Grande “weren’t careful” about their PDA. Everyone knew about the alleged affair except for Jay and Gomez. “Ethan sat Lilly down a few days before the news broke about him and Ariana and said that he wanted a divorce,” the insider added. “Lilly never saw it coming!”
Grande and Slater might have thought they were in the clear after Wicked‘s lengthy press promotion. “Ethan and Ariana are out of hiding and happier than ever,” a source explained to Life & Style in mid-November. “They’re so excited for the film to come out and for chatter around how they got together to be behind them.” Little did they know that Jay was working on something behind the scenes.
The personal essay shows the emotional brutality of divorcing in the public eye and the realization that another person likely trespassed in the marriage. Jay’s been through a lot, but she took back her power when she was ready.
Before you go, click here to see more co-star couples we’ll always wonder about.
