How Ethan Slater Subtly Shut Down Ariana Grande Breakup Rumors After Skipping the 2025 MTV VMAs

THE RUNDOWN

• Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater spent the evening apart, with Slater choosing not to join his partner at the MTV VMAs.
• Grande was up for seven awards tonight.
• Slater posted an Instagram Story in support of Grande after she won Video of the Year and Best Pop Song.

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater attended multiple awards shows together at the start of the year during their film Wicked’s awards season run. But yesterday evening at the MTV VMAs, where Grande was nominated for seven awards, Slater let her take the spotlight herself. He was not seen on the red carpet or inside the ceremony. Grande sat next to Lady Gaga instead.

Hours later, he showed his support on Instagram for his partner, reposting a video of her acceptance speech for Best Pop Song. He also celebrated her Video of the Year win. The post subtly shut down any breakup rumors:

It was a big night for Grande, who won Video of the Year, Best Pop Song (“Brighter Days Ahead”), and Best Long Form Video (“Brighter Days Ahead”). She was also up for Best Pop Artist, and her music video “Brighter Days Ahead” was nominated for Best Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.

Slater and Grande have kept a low profile this summer. They were last seen out in New York City in the spring.

Last fall, Grande spoke to Vanity Fair about tabloid coverage of their relationship.

Navigating her personal life in the spotlight “definitely doesn’t get any easier, seeing some of the negativity that was birthed by disreputable tabloids,” she said. “Of course, I went through a lot of life changes during the filming of this movie [Wicked]. A lot of people that were working on it did. We were away for two years. So, of course, I understand why it was a field day for the tabloids to sort of create something that paid their bills.”

She spoke warmly about her partner, saying, “No one on this earth tries harder or spreads themselves thinner to be there for the people that he loves and cares about. There is no one on this earth with a better heart, and that is something that no bullshit tabloid can rewrite in real life.”