SpongeBob Voice Actor’s Wife Jill Talley Addresses Dating Rumors: Supports Ethan Slater Romance, Ariana Grande Connection Revealed

Tom Kenny, Jill Talley, Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater David Fisher/Shutterstock; Broadimage/Shutterstock; Kristina Bumphrey/Starpix/Shutterstock; MediaPunch/Shutterstock

Actress Jill Talley, the wife of Tom Kenny who voices SpongeBob on the TV show, addressed rumors on Instagram regarding the current dating status of Ariana Grande. Talley clarified that it is not her husband who is dating Grande, mentioning that she is married to Tom Kenny. This comes in response to a post by The Cut with the headline, "Is Ariana Grande Dating SpongeBob Now?"

Kenny, aged 61, has been the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants on Nickelodeon's popular animated series since 1999, including spin-offs like The Patrick Star Show and Kamp Koral. On Thursday, July 20, it was confirmed that Grande, aged 30, is in a relationship with her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater, who was nominated for a Tony award in 2018 for his role as SpongeBob in the SpongeBob SquarePants Broadway musical.

"I cannot confirm if Ethan Slater, who played SpongeBob in the musical, is dating Ariana Grande," Talley added. "Nevertheless, they are both adorable, and I am totally rooting for them."

Talley, who has been the voice of Karen the computer since SpongeBob's premiere in 1999, added a heartfelt update on her and Kenny's marriage. "PS: Today marks our 27th wedding anniversary," she shared, accompanied by a celebratory image.

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater have recently started dating and are enjoying spending time together.

Grande's recent relationship update comes shortly after the news broke of her separation from her estranged husband, Dalton Gomez, following two years of marriage. According to a second source, Ariana and Dalton had been experiencing difficulties for several months, even before Ariana left for her filming project in London for Wicked. The distance between them only exacerbated their issues, and they are currently not communicating and living separately. It is highly probable that a divorce will be pursued.

As for Slater, he too has recently separated from his wife, Lilly Jay, whom he married in 2018. The couple had a child together in 2022.

Earlier this year, he expressed his admiration for his former partner in a heartwarming Mother's Day Instagram message, stating, "Wishing the happiest first Mother's Day to the most affectionate, nurturing, and exceptional mom/person in the entire world - from both me and this adorable little fellow."

In the upcoming Wicked films, Ethan Slater portrays Boq, while Ariana Grande takes on the role of Glinda the Good Witch. Other notable cast members include Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Jonathan Bailey as Prince Fiyero. Within the stage show, Boq harbors unreciprocated feelings for Glinda, but eventually finds solace with Elphaba's sister, Nessarose (played by Marissa Bode), while Glinda pursues Fiyero.

Amid Grande’s split from Gomez, a third insider told Us that the Grammy winner was committed to moving on and her family and friends are pleased with her personal growth.

On the other hand, Gomez was devastated by the breakup. Another exclusive source informed Us that he had hoped for a fairy tale happy ending, but it does not seem to be the case.