Ethan Slater responds to rumors that Ariana Grande’s ‘Imperfect for You’ is about him

Did Ariana Grande to write “Imperfect for You” about Ethan Slater?

After fans speculated Grande’s heartfelt Eternal sunshine song is written about her boyfriend and Bad Costar Slater responded to the rumors in a new one GQ hype cover story interview published on October 30.

The couple met on the Bad set, and their relationship was confirmed by PEOPLE in July 2023. Eternal sunshine was released in March, and fans have theorized that some of the album was inspired by Grande and Slater’s romance, as well as the public criticism they’ve received.

When GQ asked Slater about the lyrics of the song, but the actor didn’t reveal exactly if it’s about him. “She’s such a great artist, and I think everyone knows how good of an artist she is and everything, but I’m just really impressed with the songwriting,” he told the outlet.

“I love that song,” added Slater, who plays the lead role Bad as Boq, a munchkin with an unrequited crush on Glinda, played by Grande.

In the lyrics of “Imperfect for You”, Grande discusses a complicated romantic relationship. “My boy, come, take my hand / Throw your guitar and your clothes in the backseat / My love, they don’t understand / But I’ll keep your pain right here next to me in the box,” she sings on the first verse.

The relationship between the Grammy winner and Slater began after that Grande’s divorce from her husband, Dalton GomezAnd Slater’s divorce from his wife, Lilly Jay, with whom he shares a two-year-old son.

Elsewhere in the GQ interview, Slater – whose divorce was from Jay completed in September – addressed critics who have made assumptions about his personal life. “It was obviously a very big year,” he said, “and I think there was something very difficult about having things in your private life commented on and viewed by the public.”

He continued: “There were a lot of big changes in private life that actually happened, so it’s very difficult to get people who don’t know anything about what’s happening to comment and speculate on that, and then get things wrong about the people with who you hang out with.” love. So to address that part of it feels really hard.

“But obviously it’s been a great year and a really beautiful thing,” Slater added, “and I’m just really excited.”

The Spongebob Squarepants: The Broadway Musical star also expressed that he was “really, really proud” of Grande’s work on Bad. “She threw herself into it,” he said.

“I’m very proud that I got to be there for that part of it, and I’m very excited to be there for this next step, when the world gets to see what an amazing thing she did,” Slater said.

Bad can be seen in cinemas from November 22.