Unpopular opinion: Ariana is not out of Ethan’s league. They’re on the same league.

A lot of people are like omg Ethan Slater is nowhere near Ariana level. He’s not conventionally attractive, he isn’t as successful, he’s kind of nerdy etc. wondering why or how Ariana would even look in this guys direction.

But I wanna give my two cents on why it’s actually the opposite. Ariana is right on par with him. She’s not out of his league and they actually match each other in quite a few ways. While I think Ariana is with Ethan due to her own cheating issues, we need to recognize he’s actually probably using her more than she’s using him. It is not surprising at all that these two are together. All my opinions are based on the blinds by a user here who works in a salon Lily Jay goes to. As well as other leaks and trusted sources.

So Ethan and Lily were highschool sweethearts and after highschool Ethan went into theatre which is a very competitive industry while Lily went into psychology, got a PhD, and is a psychologist in NYC which is also a very competitive and cut throat industry.

By comparison, Lily actually is way more successful than Ethan. She got the highest level of education you can possibly have, and then surpassed what most PhD candidates dream of doing. To become a successful and popular psychologist in one of the most densely populated and nepotistic cities in the USA is actually quite impressive.

One thing you need to know about insecure dudes is that they often dislike successful women and often begin to resent their successful wives.

“But Ethan Slater is successful!” Well…yeah but is he??

Men are often pressured to take careers that pay a lot of money and are something to brag about like an engineer. When a guy says he’s going into theatre, a lot of people kinda mock them like oh sure yeah good luck dude. It’s very competitive. He did pretty fairly well but…

He got the lead role in a new musical…but that musical isn’t hamilton level

He does get cast…but it’s not in serious type roles it’s in goofy nerdy roles.

He is a somewhat recognized performer…but he’s not Ramin Karimloo recognized performer.

It’s also fairly easier for men to do well in theatre than women since there’s less of them. But let’s face it, he’s constantly type cast, his range isn’t recognized, and he lacks the lustre to become what every male performer would aim to be.

Then he has his wife…a successful psychologist in NYC raking in cash with many patients and clients. Probably writing reference letters, close with professors, she’s busy, she’s respected. So now resentment begins to build.

So what do we start to see?? He shit talks his wife on SpongeBob set so everyone hates her, makes constant flirty comments at other women. Why? Cause he hates his wife. Some women, especially very successful women, are married/dating their biggest haters. Ethan was lily’s hater. This wasn’t done cause “oh no she doesn’t love me” it’s so he can feel seen, embarrass her, and have control over his own situation. That’s what manipulative people do. But he won’t leave her! Men, especially men like that, are less likely to initiate a break up unless they have a certain escape route to another woman. He’s been with his wife since highschool - he probably doesn’t know how to even be single.

But then he gets cast in wicked.

The yeast has been added to the dough. Watch it rise. Now he’s gotten a taste of the success he always wanted. He has more access to the women, the money and the fame he always yearned for. But he probably feels out of place as he’s casted alongside Oscar and Grammy winners.

You know else feels out of place? Ariana grande. Because she doesn’t have the “Broadway background” needed for Glinda, she knows she’s under a lot of criticism for how she will play Glinda, and she is seen as a pop singer not an opera singer. You know who does have that background? Ethan slater.

A lot of people make the wrong assumption that Ethan looks up to Ariana. No. Ariana looks up to Ethan and gave that validation to him. That’s why he’s always going on about how proud of her he is, because she enter the Broadway role she always wanted and did a great job. Insecure men like Ethan slater crave that desperation so badly. They want a woman that doesn’t see herself as successful as she actually is. She’s successful in the pop world, but from his perspective he’s got more experience in the broadway world. She wants to be part of his world because of what he represents. Ariana doesn’t have a strong sense of self and despite what many think, I don’t actually believe she’s this independent woman who’s girl bossing her way into Broadway. It’s completely the opposite. She probably began to lean into him for roles, get access into events for Broadway casting, as we all know she is eyeing the live action role for Megara.

So yeah…it does make sense that they’re together. So what happens now is Ethan finally has access to a woman who is kinda lost, needs support entering this newish industry (her casting agents can help her get roles but she needs that emotional support is what I mean) and a woman who really validates who he is.

Lily probably was proud of him, but remember she is too successful for Ethan. The resent is already there and he can’t just stop. Now he’s full on cheating with Ariana and lost in the sauce with her to get the needy/emotionally driven woman he has always wanted. Now he brings her to different broadway events like the one with Book of Mormon and she’s meeting casting directors she hasn’t met before, she’s on a physical stage meeting Tony winning actors. Because of him. This also boosts his popularity in Broadway. Maybe he can get casted in something Hamilton level. Maybe he now can become that level of actor he wants to be.

He leaves his wife and baby, he goes off with her, and even if she leaves him it doesn’t really matter to him because he knows he’s got at least 2 years to milk the shit out of this relationship to get what he wants. He knows she lacks the sense of self and identity to be able to see right away that he’s an insecure year. Manipulative and insecure men often find themselves with women who have a plethora of issues. So yeah they’re very much on each others level she is nowhere near out of his league.

I knew a guy who started theatre and immediately left his wife and kids under age 4 for a choreographer on set cause he finally got the life he wanted. This choreographer was very insecure, she got out of a bad marriage, and she was a lot younger than he was so he got that validation from that.