Milo Manheim, an avid admirer of both Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande, found himself particularly awestruck by the former. In an exclusive segment of this week's "PEOPLE in 10," the 24-year-old actor and executive producer of "Zombies" raved about his encounter with the couple, who are also costars in "Wicked."
Manheim had just wrapped up his Off-Broadway stint in "Little Shop of Horrors" in New York City alongside Liz Gillies when Slater, 33, and Grande, 32, took time out of their schedules to catch and support the show. Gillies, 31, and Grande, who have remained close since their four-season run on "Victorious" starting in 2010, were both present to lend their support.
When queried about which movie star he was more thrilled to see among Slater and Grande, Manheim eagerly shared his answer. "Oh, I'm delighted you asked! It was definitely Ethan who left me starstruck," he confessed.
Elaborating further, Manheim recounted, "When they walked in, it was quite amusing. I greeted Ariana with a 'Hi, nice to meet you,' but when it came to Ethan, I was like, 'My brotha! What's up?' I was more reserved with Ariana, the 'Side to Side' singer, and overly formal with Ethan, the 'SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage!' veteran."
He continued, his face breaking into a broad grin, "Seeing him reminded me of his portrayal as SpongeBob, which I adored. Plus, Liz had talked about Ariana so much that it felt like I was meeting one of her old friends. As for Ethan Slater, well, you know what I mean!"
Previously, Manheim had shared with PEOPLE the reason behind Grande and Gillies' strong bond. "They're both such sweethearts," he said at the Disney 2025 Upfronts in New York City in May. "I've spent so much time with Liz that she's like family now. We've been through a lot together, and the more I get to know her, the more incredible I find her."
He added, "Ariana came to see the show, and it makes perfect sense that they're friends. They're both kind-hearted souls and theater enthusiasts. It was wonderful to see Ariana there supporting Liz. They reminded me of little girls enjoying the theater all over again."
Slater and Grande met on the set of "Wicked" in 2022 and sparked a romance offscreen. PEOPLE confirmed their relationship in July 2023, after Grande's separation from her then-husband, Dalton Gomez, and Slater's split from his then-wife, Lilly Jay.
