Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez have made their first red carpet appearance together, stepping out at the New York premiere of Focker-in-Law. The appearance marks a full-circle moment for the couple, who initially dated for around a year circa 2015- 2016.
For the occasion, Grande wore a vintage ’90s Badgley Mischka gown, featuring a fine silver plaid pattern with a smattering of delicate white flowers across the bodice. Alvarez went down a more casual route, pairing a black blazer and white shirt with jeans and well-worn brown leather boots.
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The duo first crossed paths when Alvarez worked as a backup dancer on Grande’s 2015 Honeymoon Tour. Although their romance ended more than a decade ago, they remained on friendly terms, with Grande even name-checking Alvarez in her hit song “Thank U, Next,” singing, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and laugh.”
Following the song’s release in 2018, Alvarez shared his reaction on Instagram, writing, “nothing but gratitude 🖤 thank you, next 🙏 (those songs are fire tho… you’re welcome).”
Speculation that the pair may have rekindled their connection has been brewing for months, gaining significant traction during Grande’s Eternal Sunshine tour, when she made some unexpected changes to the lyrics of “Thank U, Next”. The original line was replaced with two different versions during separate performances.
On one occasion, she sang, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / And they still really slap,” before later switching it to, “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I know he’s still got my back.”
Alvarez was also spotted in the VIP section at Grande’s birthday concert, appearing to subtly smile as she sang the altered lyrics.
Since her split from Alvarez, Grande has been romantically linked to Mac Miller, Pete Davidson, Dalton Gomez, whom she later married, and most recently, her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.
Alvarez and Grande’s joint appearance at the premiere comes as the singer gradually steps back into the spotlight following a brief period away from public-facing commitments.
On August 1, a statement shared with People via a representative for Grande revealed that she would be taking a break from public appearances after completing her Eternal Sunshine Tour.
“Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour. She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” the statement read.
Earlier this week, Grande made another public appearance alongside her Focker-in-Law co-stars, Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro, on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Now, with their first joint red carpet appearance under their belts, fans will no doubt be keen to see whether we will be treated to more details about the resurrection of the couple’s romance.
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