The internet recently buzzed with rumors that Ariana Grande might be dating the actor who plays SpongeBob SquarePants, but the truth behind the headlines has now been clarified by the wife of the real SpongeBob voice actor.
Jill Talley, who is married to Tom Kenny, the long-time voice behind SpongeBob on the TV show, took to social media to set the record straight. The confusion arose from a post by The Cut with a headline that read, “Is Ariana Grande Dating Spongebob Now?” The article featured a photo of Ariana with Ethan Slater, who portrays a live-action version of SpongeBob on Broadway, with whom she co-stars in ‘Wicked.’
While The Cut’s headline was technically correct, it failed to make a crucial distinction between Ethan Slater and Tom Kenny. Jill Talley pointed out that Ethan Slater is not the voice actor who has been playing SpongeBob for years on TV. She made it clear that her husband, Tom Kenny, is not dating Ariana Grande, but she isn’t sure about Ethan Slater’s relationship status with the pop star.
In her comment on The Cut’s post, Jill Talley wrote, “Hi everyone, I’m married to Tom Kenny (who voices SpongeBob on the TV show). He is not dating Ariana Grande. I don’t know if Ethan Slater (who played SpongeBob in the musical) is or isn’t dating Ariana Grande. However, they’re both adorable and I totally ship it.”
Jill Talley also took the opportunity to celebrate her own relationship, revealing that she and Tom Kenny were celebrating their 27th wedding anniversary. She wanted to ensure that there was no confusion between the two actors and their roles.
As previously reported, Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater have been dating for a few months now, but the exact timeline of their relationship has been somewhat unclear. Ariana had ended her relationship with Dalton Gomez in January, but they reportedly reunited in May for their 2-year anniversary, leaving some room for speculation about any overlap.
It’s worth noting that Ethan Slater is also currently married, although there are rumors of separation. As the situation unfolds, fans can rest assured that the OG SpongeBob, as portrayed by Tom Kenny, remains faithfully committed through and through.
