Ethan Slater is an American actor and singer born June 2, 1992, in Washington, D.C. He is known for originating the title role in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, which earned him a Tony nomination, and for playing Boq in the Wicked film franchise alongside Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
Ethan Slater spent nearly a decade earning respect on Broadway stages before most moviegoers ever learned his name. Then he stepped into the role of Boq in Wicked and Wicked: For Good, and suddenly the actor who once played SpongeBob SquarePants in a giant foam costume became one of the most searched names in Hollywood.
This guide covers who Ethan Slater is, how he built his career, what happened with SpongeBob and Wicked, his personal life, and where his career stands as he returns to the New York stage in Little Shop of Horrors.
| Attribute | Detail |
| Full Name | Ethan Samuel Slater |
| Date of Birth | June 2, 1992 |
| Age | 34 years old (as of July 2026) |
| Birthplace | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actor, singer, writer, composer |
| Years Active | 2015 to present |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts in Drama, Vassar College (2014) |
| Known For | SpongeBob SquarePants (Broadway), Boq in Wicked |
| Relationship Status | Single |
| Children | One son |
Who Is Ethan Slater?
Quick Introduction
Ethan Samuel Slater is an American actor, singer, and writer known first for musical theatre and now for film. He built his reputation in New York before Los Angeles ever noticed him, and that theatre training still shows in how he approaches every role.
Why He Is Famous
Slater is famous for two very different reasons. Theatre fans know him as the actor who originated the title role in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, a performance that earned him a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award. Film audiences know him as Boq, the Munchkin who loves Nessarose, in Wicked and Wicked: For Good.
Career Highlights
His career highlights include a Tony nomination at age 25, a Drama Desk Award win, a supporting role in two of the highest-grossing movie musicals in recent years, and a return to Off-Broadway leading roles with Marcel on the Train and Little Shop of Horrors.
Early Life and Education
Childhood and Family Background
Ethan Samuel Slater was born on June 2, 1992, in Washington, D.C. He grew up as the youngest of three children and lost his mother when he was still a child, a loss that shaped much of his early home life.
Parents and Siblings
His father, Jay Slater, worked for the Food and Drug Administration. Ethan has two older sisters, Sara and Tamara. The family later moved to Silver Spring, Maryland, where Ethan spent much of his childhood.
School and College Education
Slater attended Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C., before enrolling at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. He graduated from Vassar in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama.
Interest in Acting and Musical Theatre
Slater wrestled in high school before turning to dance and theatre, a switch his father reportedly encouraged. At Vassar, a Shakespeare workshop audition led him to director Tina Landau, a connection that pointed him toward professional theatre soon after graduation.
Career Journey
Early Theatre Performances
Slater’s first professional theatre credit came in July 2015, when he played Luis in Claudio Quest at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. The performance earned him an early nomination and put his name in front of casting directors.
First Professional Roles
Later that year, he appeared in Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally and joined the Delaware Theatre Company for a production of Diner, directed by Barry Levinson. He also took small parts in short films, including Lightning Bugs in a Jar.
Broadway Debut
Slater’s Broadway debut came with SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, which opened in 2017. Landing the title role less than three years after graduating college marked a fast rise even by Broadway standards.
Career Growth
The success of SpongeBob opened doors across theatre and television. Slater followed it with a role in the FX limited series Fosse/Verdon in 2019, then returned to Broadway in 2023 with a revival of Spamalot.
Ethan Slater’s Breakthrough with SpongeBob SquarePants
Landing the Lead Role
Slater auditioned for the title role in SpongeBob SquarePants by dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” a choice that reportedly stood out to the creative team. He won the part and helped shape a character built entirely around physical comedy and heart.
Performance as SpongeBob
Playing an animated sponge on stage without a literal costume required constant physical energy. Slater brought exaggerated movement, comic timing, and genuine warmth to the role, turning a cartoon character into a fully realised stage presence.
Critical Reception
Critics praised Slater’s performance as the emotional core of the show, noting how he made a character built for children resonate with adult audiences without ever losing the humour that made the original cartoon popular.
Tony Award Nomination
Slater received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2018, a rare honour for an actor still early in his career. He also won the Drama Desk Award that same year.
How the Role Changed His Career
SpongeBob gave Slater name recognition inside the industry and proved he could carry a demanding lead role eight times a week. That reputation later played a part in his casting for Wicked.
Ethan Slater’s Broadway Career
Major Broadway Productions
Beyond SpongeBob, Slater’s Broadway credits include the 2023 revival of Spamalot, where he played the Historian, Prince Herbert, and other roles across the show’s ensemble-heavy structure.
Off-Broadway Performances
Slater has built a strong Off-Broadway record alongside his Broadway work, including Marcel on the Train in 2025 and his current run in Little Shop of Horrors, which began in July 2026.
Stage Acting Style
Slater’s stage work leans on physical comedy, precise timing, and a willingness to disappear into a character rather than perform as himself. Directors have repeatedly cast him in roles that demand both comic range and emotional depth.
Notable Theatre Collaborations
Over his career, Slater has worked with directors including Barry Levinson, Bartlett Sher, and John Doyle, along with playwright Marshall Pailet, with whom he co-wrote Marcel on the Train.
Ethan Slater in Wicked
Casting as Boq
Slater joined the cast of Wicked as Boq Woodsman in December 2022, shortly before filming began in London. The two-part film adaptation stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, with Boq serving as the love interest of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose.
Working Alongside Ariana Grande
Slater and Grande met on set while filming Wicked. Their scenes together, and the months of location shooting in the United Kingdom, gave the cast an unusually close working relationship that carried into the film’s long promotional cycle.
Behind-the-Scenes Experience
Filming a two-part movie musical meant an extended production schedule, including a pause during the 2023 Screen Actors Guild strike. Cast members have described the shoot as intense but collaborative, with musical numbers rehearsed well before cameras rolled.
Audience and Critical Reception
Wicked became one of the best-reviewed movie musicals in years, and Slater’s performance as Boq drew attention as part of a strong overall ensemble. The film’s box office success introduced him to a much larger audience than his theatre work alone had reached.
Wicked: For Good
Slater reprised the role of Boq in Wicked: For Good, the second half of the story, which continued the box office momentum of the first film and gave his character a larger arc as the story moves toward its familiar Wizard of Oz connections.
Return to the Stage with Little Shop of Horrors
Playing Seymour Krelborn
In July 2026, Slater took over the lead role of Seymour Krelborn in the long-running Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theatre, succeeding Jordan Fisher in the part.
Why the Role Was Special
Seymour gave Slater a chance to return to a full musical theatre lead after several years split between film and smaller stage projects. The role blends comedy, romance, and horror, playing directly to the strengths Slater built early in his career.
Working with Betsy Wolfe
Slater stars opposite Broadway veteran Betsy Wolfe, who took over the role of Audrey the same week. Wolfe previously starred in Death Becomes Her, Waitress, and Falsettos, giving the revived pairing significant combined Broadway experience.
Favourite Musical Moments
Little Shop of Horrors is known for its doo-wop-influenced score and its blend of dark comedy with genuine romance, giving Slater and Wolfe material that rewards both comic timing and vocal range across the show’s most memorable numbers.
Audience Response
The Little Shop of Horrors revival has run at the Westside Theatre since 2019 and remains a popular ticket in New York theatre. Slater and Wolfe’s arrival gave the long-running production a fresh cast pairing heading into its second half of 2026.
Movies and TV Shows
Film Appearances
Slater’s film credits centre on Wicked (2024) and Wicked: For Good (2025), both as Boq Woodsman. These roles mark his most significant screen work to date.
Television Roles
On television, Slater appeared in the FX limited series Fosse/Verdon in 2019, playing performer and choreographer Joel Grey.
Streaming Projects and Guest Appearances
Slater has not yet led a major streaming series, and most of his screen work remains tied to film and limited series rather than recurring television roles. His public credits are concentrated in theatre, with film work still a newer part of his résumé.
Complete Filmography Table
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
| 2017 to 2018 | SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical | SpongeBob SquarePants | Broadway |
| 2019 | Fosse/Verdon | Joel Grey | TV mini series |
| 2023 | Spamalot | The Historian, Prince Herbert, and others | Broadway revival |
| 2024 | Wicked | Boq Woodsman | Film |
| 2025 | Marcel on the Train | Marcel Marceau (also co-writer) | Off-Broadway |
| 2025 | Wicked: For Good | Boq Woodsman | Film |
| 2026 | Little Shop of Horrors | Seymour Krelborn | Off-Broadway |
Awards and Achievements
Tony Award Nomination
Slater’s Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical came in 2018 for SpongeBob SquarePants, recognising him among the top lead performances on Broadway that season.
Other Nominations and Wins
He also won the Drama Desk Award in 2018 for the same role, adding to the recognition his SpongeBob performance received across the theatre industry.
Career Milestones
Key milestones in Slater’s career include his 2017 Broadway debut, his 2018 Tony nomination, his 2024 film debut in Wicked, and his 2026 return to a leading Off-Broadway musical role.
Recognition in Musical Theatre
Within musical theatre circles, Slater is regarded as a performer who can lead a physically demanding show night after night while keeping the emotional through line of the story intact.
Ethan Slater’s Personal Life
Marriage to Lilly Jay
Slater married Lilly Jay, whom he met as a teenager, in November 2018. The couple welcomed a son together in 2022.
Divorce
Slater filed for divorce from Jay in 2023, around the same time his relationship with Ariana Grande became public. The divorce was finalised in September 2024.
Relationship with Ariana Grande
Slater and Grande’s relationship became public in July 2023, shortly after they met while filming Wicked. The couple kept much of their relationship private over the following three years, appearing together at industry events including the Oscars and the Critics’ Choice Awards. In June 2026, representatives confirmed that Slater and Grande had ended their relationship after nearly three years together, with sources describing the split as amicable.
Does Ethan Slater Have Children?
Yes. Slater has one son, born in 2022 during his marriage to Lilly Jay.
Life Outside Acting
Slater has kept most of his personal life outside of work out of the public eye, with his relationships and family life becoming public mainly through reporting tied to his career milestones rather than his own disclosures.
Ethan Slater’s Net Worth
Estimated Net Worth
Public estimates of Ethan Slater’s net worth vary widely, generally ranging from about one million to five million dollars. These figures come from entertainment industry estimate sites rather than any confirmed public filing, so they should be treated as approximate rather than exact.
Main Sources of Income
Slater’s income comes primarily from Broadway and Off-Broadway salaries, film compensation from Wicked and Wicked: For Good, and smaller income from television work and his music releases.
Broadway Earnings
Lead roles in long-running Broadway productions like SpongeBob SquarePants typically pay a weekly salary plus potential bonuses tied to the show’s run, though Slater’s exact contract terms have not been made public.
Film and Television Income
His film income grew substantially once he joined the Wicked franchise, since studio film salaries for supporting roles in major releases generally exceed typical theatre pay by a wide margin.
Other Ventures
Slater has also released two music EPs, Wanderer in 2019 and Life Is Weird in 2020, adding a modest additional income stream outside acting.
Interesting Facts About Ethan Slater
Lesser-Known Facts
Slater wrestled competitively in high school before moving into dance and theatre. He also co-wrote Marcel on the Train, stepping into a writing role rather than only performing in someone else’s script.
Hobbies and Interests
Public information about Slater’s hobbies outside of theatre and film remains limited, since he keeps most of his personal life private.
Passion for Physical Comedy
Slater’s biggest roles, from SpongeBob to Seymour, rely heavily on physical comedy. That skill set has become something of a signature for him across very different characters.
Love for Musical Theatre
Even after breaking into film, Slater has returned to musical theatre repeatedly, a pattern that suggests the stage remains central to how he sees his career.
Latest News and Upcoming Projects
Recent Career Updates
As of July 2026, Slater is currently starring as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway at the Westside Theatre, a role he took over from Jordan Fisher.
Upcoming Productions
No additional film or theatre projects beyond his current Little Shop of Horrors run have been publicly announced.
Future Acting Plans
Slater has moved between film and stage work throughout his career, and his return to a demanding musical theatre lead suggests theatre will remain part of his plans even as his film profile grows.
Ethan Slater Career Timeline
Early Years
Slater graduated from Vassar College in 2014 and made his professional stage debut in 2015 with Claudio Quest at the New York Musical Theatre Festival.
Broadway Success
He made his Broadway debut in 2017 with SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, earning a Tony nomination and Drama Desk Award in 2018.
Hollywood Breakthrough
Slater joined the cast of Wicked in December 2022, and the film’s 2024 release, followed by Wicked: For Good in 2025, marked his breakthrough into major film work.
Recent Milestones
In 2026, Slater took over the lead role of Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway, marking his return to a full musical theatre lead role in New York.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ethan Slater?
Ethan Slater is an American actor, singer, and writer best known for originating the title role in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical and for playing Boq in Wicked and Wicked: For Good.
How old is Ethan Slater?
Ethan Slater was born on June 2, 1992, making him 34 years old as of July 2026.
What is Ethan Slater famous for?
He is famous for his Tony-nominated Broadway performance as SpongeBob SquarePants and for playing Boq Woodsman in the Wicked film franchise.
What role does Ethan Slater play in Wicked?
Slater plays Boq Woodsman, a Munchkin who loves Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister, in both Wicked and Wicked: For Good.
Was Ethan Slater married before?
Yes. Slater was married to Lilly Jay from 2018 until their divorce was finalised in 2024. The couple has one son together.
Is Ethan Slater still with Ariana Grande?
No. Slater and Grande ended their relationship in June 2026 after nearly three years together, according to representatives who described the split as amicable.
What is Ethan Slater’s net worth?
Estimates place his net worth between roughly one million and five million dollars, based on public entertainment industry estimates rather than confirmed financial records.
What is Ethan Slater doing now?
As of July 2026, Slater is playing Seymour Krelborn in the Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theatre.
Final Thoughts
Ethan Slater’s Lasting Impact on Broadway
Slater’s career shows how a strong theatre foundation can carry an actor into film without losing what made him successful in the first place. His Tony-nominated turn as SpongeBob remains a reference point for physical comedy on the Broadway stage, and his choice to keep returning to musical theatre, even after Wicked’s success, says something about where his creative interests actually sit.
With Little Shop of Horrors now running Off-Broadway and Wicked: For Good behind him, Slater’s next moves will likely keep alternating between stage and screen, the same pattern that has defined his career since 2017.
Ethan Slater keeps moving between Broadway, Off-Broadway, and film, so his next project is worth watching for. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on his career, his run in Little Shop of Horrors, and any new film or television roles as they are announced.
Note: Net worth figures in this article are public estimates, not confirmed financial disclosures, and should be read as approximate.
