Home Buzzing Celebrity Trends 01

5 Shocking Ways Ariana Grande And Pete Davidson’s Whirlwind Romance Still Impacts Pop Culture In 2025

• minute read
Contents

The whirlwind romance between Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson, a six-month engagement that set the internet on fire in 2018, remains one of the most talked-about celebrity relationships of the last decade. As of December 2025, the former fiancé and fiancée are firmly established in separate, successful new chapters of their lives, yet their brief but intense pairing continues to surface in their work, interviews, and major life announcements.

Far from the messy, public breakup, the current narrative is one of maturity and mutual support, a dynamic highlighted by recent, major life events. From subtle references in Pete's semi-autobiographical series Bupkis to Ariana's focus on her blockbuster film role, the "Grandson" era has left an undeniable, lasting mark on their careers and the broader pop culture landscape.

The 2025 Update: Baby News, Blockbusters, and Bupkis References

The biggest news regarding the former couple in late 2025 revolves around major personal milestones. While their relationship ended years ago, recent updates confirm the two have maintained an amicable, albeit distant, connection, showcasing a surprising level of maturity and goodwill.

  • Pete Davidson Welcomes a Child: In a major life update, Pete Davidson and his partner, Elsie Hewitt, welcomed a baby girl in December 2025. Sources close to Ariana Grande indicated that the singer has "no hard feelings" and is genuinely happy for her ex-fiancé as he embraces fatherhood. This news firmly closes the chapter on their romantic involvement, shifting the focus to Pete's new, grounded reality.
  • Ariana Grande's Blockbuster Era: Ariana is currently dominating the entertainment world with the highly anticipated premiere of the film adaptation of the musical Wicked, where she plays Glinda the Good Witch. This career pivot to major film roles signifies a new, powerful phase in her life, far removed from the media circus of 2018.
  • The Bupkis Easter Eggs: Pete Davidson continued to mine his personal life for material in his semi-autobiographical series Bupkis. The show, which offers a raw look at his life, includes subtle references to his past relationship with the pop superstar. This creative decision shows that, for Pete, the relationship remains a significant, if complicated, part of his personal history that he is willing to address through his art.
  • Amicable Encounters: When asked about Ariana in a recent interview, Pete offered a mature response, noting that they see each other "few and far between" because they no longer run in the same circles. This confirms that any past animosity has dissolved, leaving a respectful distance.

The current status is a far cry from the whirlwind of 2018, demonstrating how both artists have successfully navigated the intense scrutiny of their breakup to achieve significant personal and professional success.

The Six-Month Pop Culture Phenomenon: A Timeline of Intensity

The relationship between the Saturday Night Live comedian and the global pop star was a flashpoint in celebrity culture, defined by its incredible speed and public intensity. Their timeline was so compressed that it became a cultural phenomenon in itself, setting a new standard for celebrity "whirlwind romances."

The Rapid-Fire Timeline

The pair began dating in May 2018, shortly after Ariana Grande's breakup with Mac Miller and Pete Davidson's split from Cazzie David. Within weeks, the internet was flooded with news of their coupling, quickly escalating to an engagement after just a few weeks of dating. This speed was unprecedented, leading to the coining of the portmanteau "Grandson" by fans and media alike. The relationship was characterized by:

  • Matching Tattoos: The couple famously got numerous matching and dedicated tattoos, including the word "Reborn" and the acronym "H2GKMO" (Honest to God, Knock Me Out). The subsequent cover-ups became a post-breakup storyline in itself, symbolizing the difficulty of erasing a public relationship.
  • The $93,000 Engagement Ring: Pete proposed with a custom-made, 3.03-carat pear-shaped diamond ring, costing nearly $100,000, further cementing the seriousness of their intentions despite the short dating period.
  • The "BDE" Controversy: A comment made by Ariana about Pete's anatomy—coining the phrase "Big Dick Energy" (BDE)—became a massive cultural meme. Pete later reflected on this element of the relationship as "traumatic," citing the intense public focus on a private matter.
  • The New York City Apartment: They moved into a $16 million apartment in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, a physical symbol of their commitment.

The engagement ended abruptly in October 2018, following the tragic passing of Ariana's ex-boyfriend, Mac Miller, which reportedly played a significant role in the split. The intensity of the relationship, coupled with external tragedy, proved too much to sustain.

The Enduring Legacy: How 'Grandson' Changed Everything

Despite its short duration, the "Grandson" relationship was a pivotal moment for both celebrities, permanently altering their career trajectories and public perceptions. Years later, its influence is still felt in their artistic output and the way they navigate fame.

1. Pete Davidson's Rise to A-List Stardom

Before Ariana, Pete Davidson was a recognizable but niche comedian on SNL. The relationship catapulted him onto the global A-list, making him a household name and a fixture in tabloid culture. He openly acknowledged this, once stating that Ariana "made me and created me" in terms of his fame, an honest admission of the power of their pairing. This fame led directly to major film roles, stand-up specials, and his semi-autobiographical series Bupkis, proving the relationship was a career accelerant.

2. The Birth of the 'Thank U, Next' Era

The breakup directly fueled Ariana Grande's most critically and commercially successful album, thank u, next. The title track, which name-checks Pete Davidson ("Even almost got married / And for Pete I'm so thankful"), was a revolutionary moment in pop music, offering a mature, self-aware, and grateful reflection on past relationships. The album, which followed the emotional turmoil of the breakup and Mac Miller's death, cemented her status as a generational artist who could turn pain into powerful art.

3. The Normalization of Celebrity Mental Health Discussions

Both Grande and Davidson have been open about their struggles with mental health—Ariana with PTSD and anxiety, and Pete with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The intense public scrutiny of their relationship led to a broader, more public conversation about mental health within the celebrity sphere. Their openness helped to destigmatize these issues for a younger generation of fans.

4. The Standard for 'Rebound' Relationships

The speed and intensity of their engagement established a new cultural benchmark for celebrity "rebound" relationships. The media coverage of their coupling, which occurred shortly after their respective previous breakups, highlighted the phenomenon of moving on quickly in the public eye. Ariana herself later referred to the romance as "frivolous and fun," offering a retrospective perspective on its lighthearted nature at the time.

5. The Amicable Exes Trope

In a world of messy, high-profile celebrity feuds, the current amicable relationship between Grande and Davidson sets a positive example. Their ability to move on, find new love (Pete with Elsie Hewitt, Ariana with her new focus on Wicked), and still wish each other well demonstrates a mature approach to a relationship that was once chaotic and highly scrutinized. This current status is a powerful reminder that even the most intense, short-lived relationships can end with respect and "no hard feelings."

ariana grande pete davidson
ariana grande pete davidson

Detail Author:

  • Name : Benjamin Schinner MD
  • Username : grant.adrian
  • Email : mcdermott.santina@yahoo.com
  • Birthdate : 1982-02-21
  • Address : 31575 Turner Hollow Suite 541 Lake Ocie, SC 54574-9397
  • Phone : 424-416-2829
  • Company : Gislason LLC
  • Job : Environmental Science Technician
  • Bio : Autem expedita eum sunt rerum dolore voluptatem deserunt. Dolores aut et rerum aspernatur provident.

Socials

facebook:

tiktok:

twitter:

  • url : https://twitter.com/sdibbert
  • username : sdibbert
  • bio : Sed aut fugiat nam saepe ut harum. Autem fugiat sapiente doloremque. Nulla omnis recusandae officia. Libero eveniet praesentium placeat nulla eveniet.
  • followers : 4774
  • following : 1366

linkedin:

instagram:

  • url : https://instagram.com/stephan_dibbert
  • username : stephan_dibbert
  • bio : Qui facilis nisi doloribus suscipit. Fuga ea eos earum ipsam qui modi. Et aut et aspernatur omnis.
  • followers : 1011
  • following : 829

Random Posts