He’ll do anything for Glinda.
Ethan Slater was a protective boyfriend while attending the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards with Ariana Grande on Sunday night, according to a lip reader.
The “Wicked” co-stars-turned-couple was caught on video having what seemed to be an intimate moment while mingling with their Hollywood peers during a brief break in the ceremony.
In the clip shared by gossip Instagram account Deuxmoi, Slater holds Grande’s hand tightly before whispering something to her and guiding them through a crowd.
Grande, who stares at Slater intently, nods in agreement before patting her beau’s hand and turning to wave at someone out of the shot.
While watching out for his girlfriend, the Broadway star said, “Stay near. This crowd next to me, they are pushing me,” lip reader Nicola Hickling told the Daily Mail.
That was not the only time that Slater showed his love for Grande, whom he has been dating since 2023, as they were photographed multiple times looking smitten.
Throughout the night, the two could be seen chatting and smiling while standing close together.
In one sweet moment, Slater held Grande’s hands as he admired her pale pink off-the-shoulder Loewe gown covered in floral appliqués. The two even posed for photos while holding hands.
However, they opted to keep their PDA to a minimum and walked the red carpet separately.
Since meeting in late 2022 and going public with their relationship approximately six months later, Slater and Grande have been plagued with controversy and gossip.
The pair were still married to other people when rumors of their romance first surfaced, though both actors have insisted that they were separated from their respective spouses and no overlap happened.
Page Six confirmed in July 2023 that Grande, 31, had separated from Dalton Gomez after two years of marriage, while Slater filed to divorce Lilly Jay, with whom he shares a 2-year-old son, that same month.
Amid rumors of infidelity, Grande told Vanity Fair in November 2024, “The most disappointing part was to see so many people believe the worst version of it.”
Since then, Grande and Slater have gone on an extensive “Wicked” press tour around the world and have been seen sharing rare glimpses into their relationship.
Most recently, Slater celebrated Grande’s first Oscar nomination with an intimate photo that showed the singer looking out the window of their London hotel while holding pink balloons.
The “SpongeBob Musical” actor, 32, and Grande attended the 31st SAG Awards ceremony with their “Wicked” co-stars on Sunday after being nominated for five awards. Grande was up for best female actor in a supporting role for her work as Glinda.
However, the cast left the awards ceremony empty-handed.
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