Who Is Ellen DeGeneres’ Wife Portia de Rossi? The Artistic Australian’s Job, Relationship and More

Ellen DeGeneres returned to the stage for her show Ellen’s Last Stand … Up Tour in Los Angeles in April 2024 and addressed being canceled by fans in 2020.

“I’m making jokes about what happened to me, but it was devastating. It took a long time for me to want to do anything again,” the Finding Nemo star admitted, later sharing that her wife, Portia de Rossi , “Was watching it happen to [her] ... she went through it with [her].”

Ellen DeGeneres Tied the Knot With Portia de Rossi

The Emmy-winning television host has been open about the pride and struggles she faced when she openly came out as gay in 1997.

After meeting Portia in 2000 and starting their relationship four years later, Ellen gave the model the confidence to come out when they publicly debuted their romance.

“I ran into Ellen at a photo shoot about a year ago and she took my breath away. That had never happened to me in my life, where I saw somebody and [experienced] all of those things you hear about in songs and read about in poetry,” Portia told Advocate in 2005. “My knees were weak. It was amazing. And it was very hard for me to get her out of my mind after that … we just were kind of supposed to be together … I just couldn’t ignore the feelings I had for Ellen.”

Ellen and Portia tied the knot in 2008 after The Supreme Court of California ruled for same-sex marriage equality.

After two decades together, the women are still going strong and have become a solidified unit over the years.

In January 2024, Portia celebrated her love’s 66th birthday by sharing a video via Instagram of Ellen pushing major weight in their home gym.

“My darling wife! You continue to amaze me and inspire me. Happy Birthday to the strongest, sweetest, most brilliant person I know,” Portia wrote. “I’m so lucky to be standing next to you as we share this incredible life together. I love you.”

Portia de Rossi Is a Talented Woman

The Australia native kicked off her acting career in 1995 after studying law school at the University of Melbourne.

Portia is popularly known for her roles in Scream 2 (1997) and Ally McBeal (1998).

In 2018, Portia launched her innovative consumer-art company, General Public.

While promoting her new business with Architectural Digest that May, Portia revealed that art is a love language in her marriage.

“Ellen collected photography before we met, but I introduced her to paintings. Ellen’s style is a little more minimalist than mine,” she revealed to the outlet at the time. “I can’t get enough emotion in my paintings, and Ellen likes precision and restraint.”

Portia Has Been Married Before

Before walking down the aisle with Ellen, Portia was married to documentary filmmaker Mel Metcalfe .

The former couple ended their three-year marriage in 1999 after Mel left Portia for her sister-in-law, Renee Kappos .

“When Mel left me and Renee suddenly sabotaged her marriage to my brother to be with Mel, Brother and I were left idiotically scratching our heads in disbelief,” the Arrested Development actress wrote in her 2010 memoir, Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain .