Highlights
- Ariana Grande's relationship with Dalton Gomez came as a surprise to fans.
- Grande's relationship with Gomez was in question after rumors about both of them cheating.
- Ultimately, work-related issues and distance played a role in Grande's decision to file for divorce from Gomez.
Ariana Grande has remained a top Hollywood musician, songwriter, and actress since she first began her career as a child star on Nickelodeon. Grande's powerhouse voice, enchanting stage presence, and down-to-earth personality have separated her from many of her peers in the industry. Given Ariana Grande's level of fame, scrutiny about her personal life has often made headline news; that's what happened when she married real estate agent Dalton Gomez.
While many fans were thrilled for Grande that she seemingly found the love of her life, some were shocked that given her celebrity and young age, she would choose to settle down with someone not in the public eye. Before Gomez, Grande had relationships with some of the hottest celebrities in town, including rapper Big Sean. Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez ultimately called it quits after only a few years of marriage. But what went wrong in their seemingly happy relationship?
Was Ariana Grande Dating Someone Else When She Met Dalton Gomez?
Ariana Grande was dating Michael "Mikey" Forster, musician and member of the hip-hop duo Social House, before she dated Dalton Gomez. Forster's band had performed at Grande's Sweeteners World Tour.
The team also produced some of Ariana Grande's biggest hit singles, including "Thank U, Next," which ironically was a song about the men Grande had dated. Michael Forster often praised Grande on social media, revealing his admiration for her talent and professionalism.
Ariana Grande and Forster were caught up in dating rumors after the latter starred as her love interest in the music video for Boyfriend, a song that Social House also produced.
Fans couldn't get over their chemistry, as one part of the music video had them sharing a passionate kiss. Shortly after Boyfriend was released, speculated if Ariana Grande and Michael Forster were dating.
Despite Grande's brother dispelling rumors that they were an item, the paparazzi caught the two walking hand in hand together at Disneyland; this reveal forced Ariana Grande's team to confirm that the two were casually seeing each other.
Grande and Forster's relationship ended abruptly after almost a year of dating. A source close to the 7 Rings singer discussed Grande and Forster's relationship in an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter:
"Ariana and Mikey were a fling that was fun, but it wasn't ever going to lead into something super serious. Ariana really liked Mikey, but she wasn't head over heels over him. They were just enjoying their chemistry and tried to see if it could be more. It ended up not being what they had thought would happen, and they are totally cool about it. They had fun and they are friends. No real drama to worry about. Hearts aren't broken."
The reason for their breakup eluded the public until a source close to Michael Forster insinuated that he broke up with Grande after photos emerged of her kissing another man at a bar in California.
The mystery man in question was Ariana Grande's soon-to-be husband, luxury real estate agent Dalton Gomez. The two reportedly met after Grande needed someone to assist her in purchasing a new home, and she was promptly introduced to Gomez. According to a source in US Weekly:
"When [Grande] saw [Gomez], she immediately thought he was cute and very good-looking, and she asked her team to set up an in-person meeting with him. Ariana fell very hard for Dalton shortly after they met."
Dalton Gomez was reportedly anxious to keep his relationship with Ariana Grande a secret as he wanted to focus on forging an authentic relationship away from the cameras.
However, few things in Hollywood remain secret for long, and someone in Ariana Grande's inner circle confirmed to the press that she was dating Dalton Gomez. Not long after the news broke, Grande and Gomez relented and decided to go public with their romance, and the happy couple began sharing pictures of each other on Instagram.
After only a few months of dating, Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez were married in a small and intimate wedding at their home in California.
Inside Ariana Grande's Marriage To Dalton Gomez
"Thankful for so much love," Ariana Grande wrote about her then-husband, Dalton Gomez, on her Instagram page. The caption featured a video of the love birds embracing after celebrating the talented singers' birthday.
A confidante of Ariana Grande later shared details about Grande's and Gomez's relationship to US Weekly:
"He is the type of type of guy [Ariana] has been looking for. He's very protective of her, will go out of his way for her and does little things that are chivalrous. Dalton will go above and beyond to meet her needs."
Throughout their marriage, Dalton Gomez and Ariana Grande were pictured together at various social events. The two would often showcase their love for each other on social media. But other than those incidences, they stayed relatively quiet about their personal lives.
The couple also had, at least for a time, a loving relationship as featured in Ariana Grande's hit single with Justin Beiber titled Stuck With U. In the video, fans got a glimpse inside Grande's and Gomez's relationship as they were pictured embracing at the end of the video.
In the early years of their marriage, there was no reason to suppose that Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez had anything other than a fairytale-like romance. However, rumors began to circulate online that Gomez was behaving like a bachelor in a club despite still being married to Grande at that time. The gossip was never proven true or false; however, that didn't prevent the media from implying that the two had been living apart for some time.
However, work-related issues ultimately were the straw that broke the camel's back in Ariana Grande's and Dalton Gomez's marriage. A source close to the pair told People Magazine:
"[Dalton] is super focused on his career and needs to live in Los Angeles. It's definitely been an issue for them. His career is demanding, and he can't leave Los Angeles often. So, when [Grande] started filming Wicked in England, they were in for a long-distance marriage."
Why Did Ariana Grande File For Divorce From Husband Dalton Gomez?
Ariana Grande was the one who ultimately filed for divorce from Dalton Gomez. The decision was reportedly a hard one for Gomez in part due to his feelings for the pop star and the fact that he's very religious.
Someone close to Dalton Gomez told US Weekly:
"A separation is not what he's wanted. He wanted the fairy tale happy ending, and it's not looking that way...Ariana and Dalton have been having some issues for months now. They were having issues before she left for Wicked filming [in London] that they couldn't resolve, and the distance did not help. They haven't been speaking and are separated, and a divorce is likely."
The divorce news was hardly surprising since the press had leaked that Grande had discarded Gomez to date her Wicked co-star, actor Ethan Slater. Slater was already married to Lilly Jay and had a baby with her when he met and began to date Ariana Grande.
Jay went on the record to PageSix and condemned the two stars for dating:
"[Ariana's] the story, really. Not a girl's girl. My family is just collateral damage."
However, representatives for Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater insisted that they were already separated from their respective spouses by the time they began dating.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGiuobFdlr%2Bqrc2aZKCqkaOxpnnHrqqbmZ6ZeqWty62mp2WXpLqmxoygpq1llJ7DsL7Cnpto