Ethan Slater Didn’t Attend 2025 MTV VMAs but Showed Ariana Grande Support
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NEED TO KNOW
- Despite not attending the 2025 MTV VMAs, Ethan Slater showed his support for his girlfriend Ariana Grande
- The actor shared a video of Grande’s best pop acceptance speech on Instagram
- The pop star won the VMAs for Video of the Year, Best Long Form Video and Best Pop for “brighter days ahead”
Ethan Slater showed his support for Ariana Grande from afar at the 2025 MTV VMAs.
On Sunday, Sept. 7, Grande, 32, won three VMAs for Video of the Year, Best Long Form Video and Best Pop for “brighter days ahead,” which was released in 2025 alongside the deluxe version of her album Eternal Sunshine.
At the awards show, Grande was joined by her parents Edward Butera and Joan Grande, along with her brother Frankie and his husband of three years, Hale Grande. Though Slater, 33, wasn’t at the USB Arena to celebrate in person, he celebrated Grande’s wins in a different way.
Later that evening, Slater shared a video on his Instagram Stories of Grande giving her acceptance speech for Best Pop.
Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty
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In her emotional speech, Grande thanked the many people involved in bringing “brighter days ahead” to life.
“Thank you so much. Oh my God, this is so kind…. I have to start by saying thank you so much to my fans. I’m gonna cry,” she began. “I love you with every fiber of my being. Thank you, MTV.”
She also thanked her father for acting “for the first time in his life.” “He is the best scene partner and dad in the world,” added Grande.
“Thank you so much for bringing these songs and this vision to life and articulating them visually in a way that was fanciful and yet specific and vulnerable and yet protective, all at once,” she continued, mentioning her “village,” which included producers, editors, designers, glam and Christian Breslauer, who directed the music video.
“Oh my goodness, you guys. You are the best in the world. I just want to say these videos that mean so much and define us as artists forever take a village.”
She concluded her speech, thanking her therapist and “gay people.” “Thank you for championing me as a songwriter and producer as well. I love you so much. And thank you to my therapist and gay people. I love you.”
Ethan Slater/Instagram
Grande and Slater met in 2022 while filming Wicked. A source confirmed their relationship in July 2023. Their relationship began after Grande separated from her then-husband Dalton Gomez and after Slater separated from his then-wife Lilly Jay.
“[Ariana] loves being with [Ethan],” a source told PEOPLE that December, adding, “It’s a very normal relationship.”
Presley Ann Photo/Shutterstock
Most recently, Grande and Slater stepped out to see Little Shop of Horrors in April for an off-Broadway date night. The “we can’t be friends” singer also reunited with her Victorious co-star Liz Gillies.
“Ariana and Ethan came to the theater like an hour early and hung out backstage with the cast,” a source told PEOPLE about their “adorable” visit.
“They were both so friendly and warm with the cast, and so supportive of the production. Ariana gave everyone hugs and brought Liz a potted plant for the women’s dressing room.”
Credit to Nypost AND Peoples
