Ethan Slater was in full-on protective boyfriend mode when it came to people getting to close to his girlfriend Ariana Grande at the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The actor became concerned for Ariana after the crowd began to ‘push’ them while they were in the audience of the awards show on Sunday evening, according to a lip reader who analyzed their interaction.
Nicola Hickling of LipReader told DailyMail.com that the Broadway star urged the God Is a Woman songstress to stay close to him during the tender moment.
The couple was caught on camera walking through the crowd in a short clip that was shared by the Instagram account Deuxmoi.
Ethan whispered something to Ariana as he took her hand and lead her through the sea of people.
Lip reader Nicola claimed that Ethan told the blonde beauty, ‘Stay near, this crowd next to me, they are pushing me.’
Ariana, who is up for two awards at the event, channeled her Wicked character as she donned an etherial pink gown for the event.
Her sumptuous off-the-shoulder dress featured a pleated cowl, a luxurious mesh train, and a smattering of pink floral accents all down its length.
Ethan Slater was in full-on protective boyfriend mode when it came to people getting to close to his girlfriend Ariana Grande at the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards
The actor became concerned for Ariana after the crowd began to ‘push’ them while they were in the audience of the awards show on Sunday evening, according to a lip reader
Nicola Hickling of LipReader told DailyMail.com that the Broadway star urged the God Is a Woman songstress to stay close to him during the tender moment
The frock was cinched in at the middle to emphasize Ariana’s impressively lithe figure.
Lip reader Nicola claimed that Ethan told the blonde beauty, ‘Stay near, this crowd next to me, they are pushing me’
Sweeping her hair back into one of her signature ponytails, Ariana accented the look with jewelry including a sparkling Jared Atelier diamond necklace.
Her boyfriend Ethan looked handsome in a simple black tuxedo.
The two famously fell in love on set of the movie adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical Wicked.
Their romance was first brought to light in July 2023, just days after it was reported that Ariana had split from her then-husband, Dalton Gomez.
Their relationship caused quite the uproar online – especially because it was said that it began while the actor was still with his now-ex-wife, Lilly Jay, who he welcomed a son with one year prior.
A source even told DailyMail.com that Ariana ‘hung out’ with Ethan’s wife Lilly, along with their newborn, on set multiple times before it was revealed that she was dating her costar.
‘Lilly hung out with Ethan and Ariana so many times,’ the insider said. ‘Ariana met their baby and even held him.
Ariana, who is up for two awards at the event, channeled her Wicked character as she donned an etherial pink gown for the event
Her boyfriend Ethan looked handsome in a simple black tuxedo
‘They had dinners together in London – and Ariana told Lilly that she wanted to have a baby one day and that she couldn’t wait to start a family.’
Ariana and Ethan – who insisted their relationship started after they both split from their respective partners – have been going strong ever since, and it’s even been reported that they moved in together.
Ariana’s latest public appearance comes after the self-described ‘misogynist’ influencer Andrew Tate took savage digs at her on social media.
In one post on X, formerly Twitter, Andrew sneered: ‘I’m sorry Ariana Grande you’re too skinny and I would no longer f**k you. Access denied.’
Doubling down on his attack on her physical appearance, Andrew remarked that the Side To Side singer ‘looks like a crack h*e.’
Ariana’s fans leapt to her defense on social media, denouncing Andrew for his ‘sick’ and ‘disrespectful’ remarks towards her.
Andrew and his brother Tristan were arrested in Romania in 2022 on suspicion of crimes including rape and human trafficking.