PORTIA & ELLEN
Portia de Rossi
34, Actress
Ellen DeGeneres
49, Talk Show Host of The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Beverly Hills, CA
Portia and Ellen first met in the early ‘00s and there were sparks, but Portia, then on Ally McBeal, was closeted. When they were at a photo shoot a few years later, the timing still hadn’t improved. Portia was in a relationship with singer/songwriter Francesca Gregorini, while Ellen was with actress Alexandra Hedison. But when Portia saw Ellen at VH1’s Big in ‘04 awards, she could no longer ignore the attraction, although she was still “officially” in the closet. “My feelings for Ellen overrode all of my fear about being out as a lesbian,” she told the Advocate. Fans were on the fence when the couple first got together, but once it became clear how in love they were, the support was overwhelming. “I’m very happy,” Portia told the Advocate. “I’m happier than I ever, ever thought I could be. Yeah. She’s incredible. …She’s so caring and kind, and she’s beautiful and open.”
