LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jill Talley, wife of the original ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ voiceover artist Tom Kenny, took it upon herself to clear the confusion regarding Ariana Grande’s rumored beau. Talley, an actress and voiceover artist herself, replied to a headline on Instagram that rhetorically asked whether Ariana Grande is dating SpongeBob. While this presumably referred to the ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical’ star Ethan Slater, confusion abounded as, for many, Tom Kenny is synonymous with SpongeBob.
Talley wrote in the comments, as per People, “Hi everyone, I’m married to Tom Kenny (who voices SpongeBob on the TV show),” before adding, "Is Ariana Grande dating SpongeBob now?”
Speaking of her husband, Talley said, "He is not dating Ariana Grande," and added, “I don’t know if Ethan Slater (who played SpongeBob in the musical) is or isn’t dating Ariana Grande. However, they’re both adorable and I totally ship it." She continued, “Just wanted to set the record straight,” before concluding, “P.S. as for me and Tom Kenny — we are celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary today ❤️.”
Who is Jill Talley?
Jill Talley is an American actress and voiceover artist who is a prominent cast member in the animated series ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’. Talley was born in 1962 and started performing improv comedy at the Improv Institute and The Second City. She met her future husband Tom Kenny on the sets of the FOX Network sketch comedy show ‘The Edge’ where they appeared from 1992 to 1993. Later, they appeared in ‘Mr Show’ from 1995 to 1998. Talley and Kenny also appeared together in the 'Tonight, Tonight' video by The Smashing Pumpkins in 1996.
Her other significant roles include Sarah Dubois on Adult Swim's ‘The Boondocks’ and Rita Loud on ‘The Loud House’.
While Talley has always received immense love and support, she experienced astronomical success after appearing as Karen Plankton on 'SpongeBob SquarePants'. She joined the series in 1999 and was later promoted to main cast member in 2004 with the film adaptation. Talley has also voiced several characters including Lady Granite in the Plastic Man ‘DC Nation Shorts’ and Maja the Sky Witch in the ‘Adventure Time’ episode 'Sky Witch'.
She has also lent her voice to various shows including ‘The Powerpuff Girls’, ‘Seinfield’, ‘American Dad!’, and ‘Puppy Dog Pals’, among others.
On the personal front, she met her husband Kenny on the ‘The Edge’ set in 1992. The couple got married in 1996 and are parents to two children - a son named Mack and a daughter Nora.
'They have a baby! She’s a wreck'
Amid the dating rumors of Ariana Grande and the ‘SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical’ star Ethan Slater, it is said that Slater’s wife Lilly Jay felt “blindsided.” Page Six reported that Jay, who married Slater in 2018, is devastated by the dating news. A source close to the couple told Page Six, “It’s horrible. They were high school sweethearts,” before adding, “They have a baby! She’s a wreck.” The source also added that the brewing relationship between Grande and Slater was probably why he and Jay “suddenly broke up now when nothing appeared wrong between them.”
Meanwhile, Ariana Grande married Dalton Gomez in a small and private ceremony on May 15, 2021. While the couple has not given a statement about their alleged split, the pictures of their marriage are no longer there on her Instagram. TMZ initially claimed that Grande and Gomez were “headed towards divorce” on Monday, July 17.
