Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez have made their red-carpet debut as a couple.
The “Wicked” star, 33, and the dancer arrived together Wednesday evening for the New York City premiere of “Focker-in-Law,” with Alvarez photographed wrapping his arms around Grande for cameras. She wore an off-white and gray tartan-patterned ballgown with her signature sleek ponytail showing off a new shorter cut, paired with simple earrings and soft pink makeup. Alvarez, 32, kept things casual in cuffed jeans, a black blazer, brown shoes and a classic belt.
The couple’s public appearance comes roughly five months after they rekindled a romance that first sparked during a brief fling in 2015. They went Instagram official over the summer and have since been spotted with matching “love” tattoos and sharing passionate kisses.
“She’ll be spending a lot of time with her family, friends and Ricky,” a source said in August, when a rep for the Grammy winner announced she’d be “stepping back from public-facing work” following the Sept. 1 conclusion of her “Eternal Sunshine” tour.
“Between touring, rehearsals and her other work commitments, she and Ricky haven’t been able to spend as much time together as she would have liked over the past few months, so she’s looking forward to having more uninterrupted time with him,” the insider added.
Grande ultimately also withdrew from a planned West End production of “Sundays in the Park with George” alongside Jonathan Bailey, which had been set for spring.
By September, a source said that Grande was “in an amazing place” and “really happy.” That same month, she made a telling lyric change during a performance of “thank u, next,” singing, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I’m tryna make him my last.”
The red-carpet moment marked a new level of public commitment for the pair, who faced each other lovingly for photographers, held hands, and posed with Grande’s hand resting lightly on Alvarez’s chest.
Grande’s reunion with Alvarez follows her split from “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater after three years of dating. “Ariana and Ethan broke up several months ago but they’ve remained friends since then and have nothing but respect and admiration for one another,” a source said in June. “This wasn’t a decision they took lightly but realized they were better off friends than in a committed relationship.”
The “7 Rings” singer’s step back from work was framed as a deliberate choice to prioritize personal connections after a demanding stretch of touring and promotional obligations. The “Focker-in-Law” premiere offered a rare public glimpse of that private life taking center stage.
Grande has not announced any upcoming music releases or acting projects following the conclusion of her tour.