Ethan Slater opens up about his romance with Ariana Grande.

Slater, 32, stars alongside Grande in the upcoming film Wicked as Boq opposite Grande’s Glinda. He says it wasn’t easy to enter into a relationship that so many people follow.

“Obviously it’s been a really super big year and I think it’s been really difficult to comment on things in your personal life and be looked at by the public,” he told GQ.

“There’s really been a lot of big changes in personal lives, so it’s really hard to see people who don’t know anything about what’s happening commenting on it and speculating and then doing something wrong about the people you love.” It feels really difficult to just address that part of it.”

Slater and his ex-wife Lilly Jay have one son, 2. He filed for divorce in July 2023 when rumors swirled that he was dating Grande, who had split from her now ex-husband Dalton Gomez.

Despite the scrutiny, Slater, a Tony Award-nominated actor for his role in the Broadway musical “SpongeBob SquarePants,” is thrilled with the state of affairs as “Wicked” prepares to be unleashed on moviegoers.

“But obviously it’s been a great year and a really beautiful thing and I’m just really excited. I’m just very, very proud of Ari and the work she’s done here. She was totally committed to it,” he said.

“I’m really proud that I got to be a part of this and I’m really excited to be a part of this next step when the world can see the amazing thing she’s done.”

Slater was also coy when asked if Grande’s song “Imperfect for You” was about him, as some fans have suggested.

“She’s such a great artist, and I think everyone knows how good she is as a recording artist and so on – but I’m just blown away by the songwriting. I love this song,” he said.

For her part, Grande downplayed how her relationship was perceived by others.

“The most disappointing thing was to see that so many people believed the worst version of it,” she told Vanity Fair in September. “There could be no less apt image of a person than the one that the tabloids spread about him…”

“No one on this earth tries harder or tries less to be there for the people they love and care about. “There’s no one on this earth with a better heart, and that’s something no real-life bulls—tabloid can describe,” she added.