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Frankie and Hale Grande were married on May 4, 2022. Compared to Frankie, who is also a singer and stage actor, Hale (née Leon) has received less attention. Hale spoke about his decision to take the Frankie last name and why it meant so much to him.
Frankie and Hale Grande’s love story is very cinematic. After meeting in 2019, the couple tied the knot in an intimate Star Wars-themed wedding on May 4, 2022 at Grande’s home in Boca Raton, Florida. (The “May 4th” date was no coincidence.) The couple exchanged vows in custom Dolce & Gabbana tuxedos, and Frankie’s mother Joanne officiated the marriage. Guests, including Frankie’s pop star sister Ariana, wore costumes appropriate for the cosmic occasion, which the couple described at the time in a joint Instagram post as “the most beautiful ceremony.”
While Frankie, who released her debut album Hotel Rock Bottom in June, frequently attracts attention as a performer and online personality, Hale is relatively private. Here’s everything you need to know about Hale, including his personal interests, what he cares about, and why he decided to take Frankie’s last name after getting married.
Hale is a Twitch streamer and avid chess player who grew up on Long Island.
Hale has experience as an actor and model, most notably as a Twitch streamer. According to his Instagram profile and YouTube channel, he is also a vegan and a chess enthusiast.
In a joint interview with Frankie for Brides magazine in 2022, Hale spoke about her upbringing and journey towards self-acceptance. “Growing up on Long Island, being gay was considered wrong. It was so taboo. I was just isolated. I ran to L.A. and found out there were a lot of other people just like me,” he told the publication.
However, he said he “went back into the closet after two years” because his Catholic roots “put pressure on me and made me feel like it was wrong.”
Eventually, Hale was able to fully embrace her sexuality. “I went on a long journey of discovering myself over the years,” he continued. “When I finally figured it all out, it was a time when same-sex marriage was legal. My journey was tough, but it was tougher for a lot of people.”
“I’m 10 years older than Hale, so I was there when we were fighting for same-sex marriage,” Frankie said. He said he didn’t know if marriage was “in the cards for me,” but he still wanted equal rights. “This relationship was the first time I even thought about marriage and I’m so grateful it was legal,” Frankie added.
Hale met Frankie at a gay bar in Los Angeles, and they bonded over their mutual “nerdy” hobbies.
The two met in 2019 at Oil Can Harry’s, a now-closed gay line dance bar in Los Angeles’ Studio City neighborhood. Frankie told Blythe that she saw Hale dancing on stage and asked if she could dance with him. After Hale hesitated calling him a “nerd,” Frankie “started proving to him my nerdness,” the Rocky Horror Show actor recalled.
“I showed them my Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Star Trek, Jurassic Park and all the other tattoos,” Frankie continued. “Hale said, ‘Okay, maybe you’re a nerd. Do you like games?’ I said, ‘Yes, I play Super Smash Bros. on my Nintendo Switch.’ He asked, “What’s your main?” And I said, “Zelda!” And he said, “I love Zelda.” Hale then said, “I’ll dance with you.” Their romance quickly accelerated after that.
Frankie proposed to Hale in a virtual reality environment.
In June 2021, Frankie surprised Hale by proposing at Dreamscape, a virtual reality venue in Los Angeles. At the end of the immersive experience, virtual fireworks spelled out “Will you marry me?”
“It was such a perfect, beautiful moment,” Frankie told People. “Hale was completely surprised and we both started crying tears of joy. I had been working on proposing to him in virtual reality for over a year and it was truly breathtaking for both of us.”
The two also posted the news of their engagement on Instagram. “I’m so happy that my best friend wanted to spend the rest of his life with me! We played games and made us laugh forever! Speaking of games… I proposed in virtual reality! He was in a panic!” Frankie captioned a gallery of snapshots from a photo shoot with People. “What a great way to celebrate #Pride 🌈❤️💍.”
Hale gushed about the “unrealistic” VR proposal in a post on her Instagram page, writing, “I can’t even breathe when I think about the rest of my life and the memories I have and know I will make. Thank you, my fiancé. I will always be by your side. Count on me.”
Hale wanted to take Frankie’s last name when they got married.
After their marriage, Hale (née Leon) took Frankie’s last name, Grande. This was a meaningful decision for both of us. In an interview with Brides, Hale said, “I told him I wanted to have the same last name. I’ve always enjoyed the tradition of unification, so that was important to me. It feels like the final step. Grande is a beautiful name, and my last name didn’t mean that much, so it was an easy decision for me.”
Frankie added that it was “beautiful” that Hale wanted to share her last name because it is “deeply tied to my family and heritage.”
Hale has been vocal about her support of LGBTQ+ causes and visibility.
Hale and Frankie originally planned a wedding at Disney World. But the couple changed their plans after Florida passed a “Don’t Say I’m Gay” law and many Disney fans accused the company of complicity. “I remember being on an emotional roller coaster with Frankie, wondering if we would ever get married and if they would do the right thing,” Hale told Brides. The couple ultimately decided to celebrate their love in an intimate setting at Grande’s home in Florida.
Hale also talks about her perception of queerness and how it has evolved. “There is no longer a concrete definition of who a queer person is,” he said in an interview with Blythe. “I’m a gentle video gamer. Frankie is very loud and flashy and I love that. Our relationship allows us to demonstrate that being gay is just a small aspect of everything else we are as human beings.” He added, “Queer people can literally be anyone, be with anyone, do anything. Now it’s so simple that we don’t need these crazy assumptions.”
Hale and Frankie don’t shy away from PDA or talk about their love for each other.
Over the years, the couple has attended several public events, including the opening night of Frankie’s Broadway show “Rock of Ages” in 2020 and the New York premiere of “Wicked” in 2024. They usually show off some nice PDA when they appear on the red carpet.
They also often post about their adventures and daily life together.
In February 2025, Frankie opened up to People about her marriage to Hale. “I’m still learning a lot about him in a great way. The longer we’ve been married, the closer we’ve gotten, which I think is probably unexpected,” he said. “I’m really happy that we can continue to learn more about each other and continue to explore and find new things to love.”
