Ethan Slater’s Ex Breaks Silence About His Romance with Ariana Grande: ‘My Family’ Is ‘Collateral Damage’

Lilly Jay is speaking out about her estranged husband Ethan Slater’s new relationship with Ariana Grande.

In a conversation with Page Six, Jay — who celebrated four years of marriage with Slater, 31, last fall, before he filed for divorce this week — broke her silence about his romance with his Wicked costar Grande, 30. Jay and Slater share a baby son.

“[Ariana’s] the story really. Not a girl’s girl,” Jay told the outlet. “My family is just collateral damage.”

Jay also said she was focused on being “a good mom” to her and Slater’s child, adding in reference to Grande’s own breakup from husband Dalton Gomez, “The story is her and Dalton.”

Jay and reps for Slater and Grande did not immediately return PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

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Ethan Slater and Lilly Jay in New York City on Nov. 5, 2018; Ariana Grande on The Voice.

Theo Wargo/Getty ; Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty 

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater Are ‘Full-On Dating’ After Being ‘Sweet’ with Each Other on Set: Source (Exclusive)

After a source told PEOPLE last week that Slater and Jay had separated, the actor filed for divorce in New York City on Wednesday, per TMZ. The reason for his split from Jay was not listed.

The SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical alum married Jay in November 2018, six years after they began dating. The two share one child, a baby son.

Although Slater’s Instagram is now private, he previously shared various posts with Jay that included a post on Mother’s Day that was “liked” by Grande and read, “Happy first Mother’s Day to the most loving caring and wonderful mom/person in the world. – from me and this little guy.”

Theo Wargo/GettyDominik Bindl/WireImageTrae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

It came a few months after Slater revealed he and Jay had welcomed their first child together by sharing a photo of a onesie that read “Wicked Cute.”

He celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary by sharing a tribute that referred to Jay as his “best friend” and included the text, “4 years married, 10 years together. And this is easily the best (and most *bizarre*) year yet.”

Ethan Slater and Lilly Jay on June 4, 2018, in New York City.

Mark Sagliocco/WireImage

Ariana Grande Is Dating Her ‘Wicked’ Costar Ethan Slater After Dalton Gomez Split: Sources

Grande, meanwhile, separated from husband Gomez, 27, earlier this year following nearly two years of marriage. A source previously told PEOPLE that the pair “have been quietly and lovingly working on their friendship” since their split.

As for Grande’s relationship with Slater, an insider told PEOPLE on Thursday that it was clear from the start that the “7 Rings” singer and the Broadway alum were forming a close connection on the set of the upcoming Wicked films, in which Grande plays Galinda/Glinda and Slater plays Boq.

“It was obvious on the set from early on … they were very sweet to each other and often seen laughing together,” the source said. (A second source told PEOPLE the two did not get together romantically until both were each separated from their spouses.)

But it seems the cast and crew thought it was a friendship vibe, not the budding romance it turned out to be.

“Everyone just thought they were both happily married, though, and didn’t expect them to end up dating,” the first source said, adding that the two costars are “full-on dating,” and Grande “really likes” Slater.

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