Pete Davidson Defends Ex-Fiancée Ariana Grande Against Online Body Shaming
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Pete Davidson has condemned the online body shaming and speculation about Ariana Grande’s appearance, saying the criticism is “not cool” and “f–ked up”. In a Variety interview, he called Grande strong and talented, and said he believed she would manage the attention; the scrutiny had intensified after her “Petal” music video, and Grande said in August that she would step away from public life for an undisclosed period.
Davidson and Grande dated and became engaged in 2018, splitting that October, shortly after the death of Grande’s former partner Mac Miller. Grande later channelled her grief into *Thank U, Next*: its title track, which mentions Davidson, spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Davidson said he and Grande are “cool” though they are not in contact, and joked that famous ex-boyfriends could form a group.
- Davidson criticised the body shaming directed at Grande.
- Grande announced a break from public life in August.
- The former couple split in 2018 but say they are on good terms.
New here? Start with this
Pete Davidson is an American comedian and actor, whilst Ariana Grande is a singer and actress. The two dated and became engaged in 2018, splitting up later that year shortly after the death of Grande's former partner, Mac Miller, a musician.
Grande subsequently channelled her grief into the album *Thank U, Next*, whose title track references her time with Davidson and became a major commercial and critical success. Though their relationship was brief, it has remained culturally significant. The pair have spoken positively about one another in public despite no longer being in contact.
In recent months, Grande has faced considerable online body shaming and criticism regarding her appearance. This scrutiny has been significant enough that she has announced she will step away from public life for a period.
Full account
Pete Davidson has publicly defended his former fiancée Ariana Grande against the wave of online criticism directed at her physical appearance and body over recent months. In an interview with Variety published on 30 September, the comedian and actor expressed unequivocal disapproval of the harassment, stating that he found the vitriol neither palatable nor defensible. Davidson emphasised that Grande possesses considerable fortitude and insisted he struggled to comprehend the motivations behind the sustained scrutiny she has endured.
The criticism intensified during the summer of 2026 following the publication of Grande's album Petal and the accompanying music video for its title track. The widespread online speculation concerning the pop star's weight and appearance prompted her representative to announce in August that she would withdraw from public-facing activities, citing the relentless nature of media commentary. This hiatus would follow the conclusion of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, which ran until early September. Additionally, Grande withdrew from a forthcoming West End production of Sunday in the Park With George, a revival which subsequently proceeded no further after both she and fellow performer Jonathan Bailey departed the project.
Grande subsequently offered clarification regarding her decision to step back from the spotlight, appearing at a concert performance in Chicago on 4 August to address the matter directly. She pushed back against the suggestion that the body shaming campaign had forced her withdrawal, characterising the decision instead as one made deliberately and with substantial prior planning rather than as a reactive measure born of immediate distress. This statement appeared to position her retreat as a deliberate career choice rather than a capitulation to hostile commentary.
Davidson and Grande shared a brief but intense romantic relationship in 2018, progressing from dating to engagement within several months before separating by October of that year. Their breakup occurred approximately one month following the death of Mac Miller, Grande's previous boyfriend, whose fatal overdose compounded what proved to be an exceptionally difficult period in her life. Davidson's own role in Grande's personal narrative was later immortalised in her breakthrough album Thank U, Next and its chart-topping title track, which achieved seven consecutive weeks at the summit of the Billboard Hot 100. The film star has acknowledged this cultural legacy with humour in his comedy performances and has suggested that celebrated men who have inspired similar musical compositions might benefit from a support network.
Davidson characterised his former fiancée as talented, personable, and possessing demonstrated capability to navigate adversity, though he noted that they no longer maintain regular contact. He emphasised, nevertheless, that their relationship remains cordial. Grande is currently in a romantic relationship with Ricky Alvarez, a dancer with whom she had previously been involved in 2016. Meanwhile, Davidson continues his acting career, with a forthcoming dramatic role in the heist film How to Rob a Bank, scheduled for theatrical release in November, for which he undertook a five-month physical transformation to portray a former military officer engaged in criminal activity.
Where outlets differ
Source 1 provides greater emphasis on Davidson's current film work and Grande's withdrawal from theatre production, whilst Source 2 prioritises historical context regarding the Mac Miller tragedy and Grande's musical response
Source 2 includes significantly more detail about the timeline of Grande and Davidson's relationship (five months of dating before engagement, split by end of October 2018), whereas Source 1 simply states they 'dated for about five months in 2018'
Source 2 discusses Grande's current relationship with Ricky Alvarez and mentions Davidson's daughter Scottie, details entirely absent from Source 1
Source 1 specifies Grande's tour end date (1 September) and the film's release date (13 November), whilst Source 2 provides less specific temporal details
Source 2 elaborates on the Mac Miller context and Miller fans' misdirected blame toward Grande, whereas Source 1 makes no mention of this historical backdrop
Coverage
- The Hollywood Reporter — Pete Davidson Slams Body Shaming of Ex-Fiancée Ariana Grande
- Billboard — Pete Davidson Slams Online Criticism of Ex-Fiancée Ariana Grande’s Appearance: ‘I Think It’s F–ked Up’