Ariana Grande is once again at the center of online controversy after old photos of her boyfriend Ethan Slater’s ex-wife and their young son resurfaced—just in time for the holidays. The images, showing Slater’s ex, Dr. Lilly Jay, spending Christmas with their son Ezra, have sparked another round of backlash against the pop star, with some fans accusing her of “breaking up a family.”
In the viral photos, Jay—who works as a clinical psychologist—is seen bundled up, pushing a stroller through snowy streets with a coffee in hand. Though the shots were originally taken in 2024, their sudden reappearance this season has reignited social media outrage, with many criticizing Grande and sympathizing with Jay. Some commenters went so far as to label the singer “evil,” blaming her for Slater’s apparent absence from his son’s holiday celebrations.
Despite the clarification that the photos are not recent, the backlash hasn’t cooled. Fans and critics alike continue to debate the morality of Grande and Slater’s relationship, with heated takes spreading across X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Reddit. Others, however, argue that online speculation has gone too far, turning private family matters into public drama.
Slater and Jay, who were high school sweethearts, married in 2018 and finalized their divorce in 2024. The two share custody of their son and are reportedly co-parenting quietly. Grande’s name first became linked to Slater’s shortly after her separation from ex-husband Dalton Gomez that same year—fueling widespread rumors that the Wicked co-stars’ on-set chemistry extended offscreen.
The pair, who met while filming the upcoming Wicked adaptation (Grande as Glinda, Slater as Boq), have tried to keep their romance low-key. Still, their relationship remains under constant scrutiny. Slater has shared glimpses of their life together on social media, including support for Grande during her Saturday Night Live hosting gig and cozy holiday moments captioned “Very merry holidays.”
While some fans defend the couple, calling the backlash unfair and overly invasive, others insist the optics are too messy to ignore. With the resurfaced photos fueling another wave of criticism, Ariana Grande’s relationship continues to be one of Hollywood’s most divisive love stories—one that shows no signs of fading from the spotlight anytime soon.
