1. Ethan Slater: A Broadway Star on the Rise
2. Theatre Career
3. "SpongeBob SquarePants"
4. Other Theatrical Work
5. Film and Television
6. Personal Life
7. "Wicked" and Beyond

Ethan Slater: A Broadway Star on the Rise

Early Life and Education

Ethan Slater was born on June 2, 1992, in a Washington, D.C. suburb to a Conservative Jewish family. Growing up with two older sisters, he faced the loss of his mother at the end of the decade. His physician father remarried, bringing a stepmother and two younger brothers into his life.

From an early age until he was 16, Slater attended Ramah, a Jewish summer camp where his father worked. Art and music were integral to the program, nurturing his passion for performance. Despite excelling in wrestling and joining his college wrestling team, his father's concerns about his son's artistic aspirations led him to consider political science and pre-law, which he ultimately did not pursue. Slater graduated from Vassar College's drama program.

Theatre Career

In 2012, the unknown actor auditioned for a yet-to-be-named project by legendary theatre director and playwright Tina Landau. Together with Nickelodeon, they sought to adapt a beloved children's property for Broadway: "SpongeBob SquarePants." The musical's screenplay featured placeholder characters Bubble Bert and Klutz Bob, referencing the cartoon's early iterations.

Slater joined the show, rehearsing meticulously between college semesters and during breaks while under strict secrecy. Inspired by Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, he trained extensively in the gym, vocals, and choreography. Despite his initial unfamiliarity with the underwater cartoon, he embraced the role of the optimistic sea sponge.

"SpongeBob SquarePants"

After a protracted development period, "SpongeBob SquarePants" premiered in Chicago in 2016 and on Broadway in 2017. Slater's portrayal of the titular character earned him Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World Awards, as well as a Tony Award nomination. The production intentionally humanized the cartoon, with Slater performing in regular attire rather than a square costume. Critics noted the striking similarities between the actor and his character.

Slater remained with "SpongeBob" until its Broadway closing in 2018. He participated in a televised version in 2019 but declined to join the national and international tours, choosing to focus on other projects.

Other Theatrical Work

Among his other critically acclaimed theatre performances is "Assassins," for which he received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination. Slater portrayed Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President John F. Kennedy. Throughout his theatrical career, he has sung, danced, and recorded for several musicals, and released his own singles online.

Film and Television

Slater began appearing in film and television after 2012. Most of his on-screen work has been in short films and episodic roles, including "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." He has also voiced podcasts, composed music and screenplays, and ventured into filmmaking and producing.

Personal Life

In 2012, Ethan Slater began dating Lily Jae, his acquaintance from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Performing Arts. She worked in clinical psychology, photo editing, and sexual assault advocacy, and spoke at the White House in 2014, meeting then-President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

After two years of dating, Lily Jae relocated from Maryland to New York City to be with Slater. They married in 2018 and welcomed a son in 2022. In early 2023, Slater lovingly celebrated his wife's first Mother's Day, but it later emerged that their marriage was facing challenges.

"Wicked" and Beyond

In 2022, while filming "Wicked" in the UK, Slater met Ariana Grande. The singer had been married to Dalton Gomez, a real estate agent, but the couple separated in early 2023. That summer, paparazzi captured Slater and Grande together, sparking rumors of an affair. The stars have not publicly addressed the situation, but insiders claim that any romantic involvement began after their respective breakups.

Slater's current project is the two-part musical fantasy film "Wicked," an adaptation of the Broadway musical. He plays Boq, a love interest of the character Glinda (Ariana Grande). The film's first and second parts are set to release in Fall 2024 and Fall 2025, respectively.

Actor