Sometimes, those relationships that start off slowly turn out to be the ones that last forever. With patience and time, a pair can really cultivate something very substantial together. It seems that happened in the case of actress Portia de Rossi and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres.
Born Ellen Lee DeGeneres on Jan. 26, 1958, the award-winning television personality had been in the industry for decades, but she got massive public recognition when her program, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” made its way to America’s TV screens in 2003.
The show lasted for almost two decades until its final episode in 2022. Throughout its run, it amassed a whopping 33 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Aside from her stint as a television talk show host, DeGeneres is also known for being the voice behind the character of Dory in the Pixar movie “Finding Nemo” in 2003 and its sequel “Finding Dory” in 2016.
On the other hand, her wife, Portia de Rossi, was born on Jan. 31, 1973. She is a famed actress with countless film and television credits under her belt.
De Rossi told the Advocate that the couple met socially in the year 2000, but nothing happened until they met again after VH1’s Big in ’04 awards show. In another interview with Oprah, the actress revealed the reasons why the relationship got off to a slow start; she revealed that she struggled with her sexuality and had a hard time coming out as she was afraid that it would be “the end” of her career.
Many people would think DeGeneres completely retired from the industry after the show ended, but it was the complete opposite. Read on below to get a glimpse of the couple’s life after the program wrapped up.
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After several years of dating, the California Supreme Court legalized gay marriage; this was the time when Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi decided to wed in 2008. Oprah aired a beautiful glimpse into their intimate ceremony, and DeGeneres described the significance of their official marriage.
“Anybody that’s married knows there’s a difference. It feels like you’re home,” Ellen said. “There’s an anchor. There’s a safety. I’m gonna be with her until the day I die and I know that.”
In August 2023, the couple celebrated their 15th anniversary. DeGeneres took to social media to share a sweet photo of the two of them together, posing outside a balcony as rock formation surrounded them.
In the caption, the TV show host simply wrote, “To my wife of 15 years- I fall more in love with you every day. My life is blessed because you’re in it. Happy anniversary.”
It may appear to some that DeGeneres decided to retire from her work, but a source told Entertainment Tonight in a report published that year that she continued being busy with her career as a public figure.
“Ellen is not retired. She did not renew her show, but she has never not worked. Although she has taken some time off from acting, she has a number of brands, an upcoming documentary as part of her Discovery deal, etc., that she is working on,” the insider said.
Since animal welfare is something that is dear to the couple’s heart, the source also noted that both of them “have donated a ton of money” and became volunteers to help animals.
Regarding their life at home, the source noted that the married couple purchased a Spanish-style home in Montecito, California, that they worked on over the summer of 2023.
In the spring issue of the Montecito Journal’s RIV Magazine, published in April 2023, DeGeneres gave a glimpse of their life in their new home after eight years of moving from one house to another to the point that they reached a count of over 24 properties.
“This place is all about the spot… The house needed a lot of work, but the spot was always amazing. Strangely, this was the very first place Portia and I ever looked at up here (in 2007)…Truthfully, I didn’t even want to see the place. It’s the longest I’ve ever deliberated on a property,” she told the magazine.
Regarding their decision to settle on a home that both of them would stay in, DeGeneres explained that she and her wife don’t fight about those things.
“There’s no division… She’s as passionate about horses as I am about houses. But we don’t delve into each other’s silos. In fact, I can’t really get her to go into a furniture store with me. Unless there’s a horse in there somewhere,” she added.
Their Montecito home was the same location where de Rossi decided to surprise DeGeneres with an impromptu vow renewal in January 2023.
“This is it and we’re settling down finally and we’re planting roots and we’re taking better care of ourselves and each other than ever before and I’m so excited about the future where we just get to do whatever the hell we want for the rest of our lives,” the actress said on the day of their vow renewal.
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