Ethan Slater’s ex-wife Lily Jay “never really thought” she would “get divorced.”
Dr Lily J reflects on her highly publicized split from actor Ethan Slater and how it affected her life.
In an article titled How does my divorce make you feel? for cut On Thursday, December 19, Jay shared his emotional journey following his divorce, which happened shortly after the birth of his first child.
“Nobody gets married thinking they’re going to get divorced … but I never really thought I’d get divorced. Especially not just after having my first child, and especially not with someone. Not in the shadow of my husband’s new relationship with a celebrity,” she wrote.
Slater, 32, filed for divorce in July 2023, a month before her son’s first birthday. That same month, news broke of a romance with him The wicked Co-star Ariana Grande, who Jay admits struggled with as the film’s press tour became inevitable.
“The days are sunny with my son. The days when I don’t survive the promotion of a film dealing with the saddest days of my life, those days are dark,” she explained.
Jay, who works as a perinatal psychologist, described how the distance between her and Slater grew during early parenthood.
“I didn’t understand the growing distance between us,” she says, referring to her decision to support her career while caring for her newborn abroad.
As headlines swirl about her divorce, Jay mourns the loss of her once-private life.
“I miss the life of invisibility I created for my patients,” she reveals, acknowledging how the sudden public exposure clashed with her professional identity.
Despite the challenges, Jay hopes his experiences can resonate with others.
“Perhaps we can think of my not-so-dirty personal life this way: a dose of my own loss, anger, helplessness, sadness that helps me handle yours,” he wrote.
On an optimistic note, Jay shared his belief that “a lifetime of sweetness awaits me and my baby.”
He also emphasized the love he and Slater shared for their son.
“We both love our son 100 percent, regardless of how our parenting time is divided,” she concluded.
While some initially speculated that Slater and Grande’s relationship began as an affair, both denied these claims.