Biographie

Legally changed her name to Portia Lee James DeGeneres on September 23, 2010, taking the last name of her spouse Ellen DeGeneres.

First husband Mel Metcalfe left her to be with de Rossi's brother Michael Roger's wife, Renee Kappos. Metcalfe and Kappos eventually married.

Admitted to have married her first husband Mel Metcalfe mainly in order to obtain a Green Card for a permanent stay in the US. De Rossi didn't acknowledge her attraction towards women when they married.

Her wedding with Ellen DeGeneres on August 16, 2008, took place at their house in Beverly Hills, California, and was attended by her mother and brother and by Ellen's parents.

Her father died when she was nine years old.

In high school I had sex with girls quite a few times. They were straight women who I convinced to jump in the sack with me.

I'm living by example by continuing on with my career and having a full, rich life, and I am incidentally gay.

I love being able to wear dresses and clothes that make me feel feminine and beautiful, and I love the fact that I don't have to all the time; I can wear a tank and jeans.

My feelings for Ellen overrode all of my fear about being out as a lesbian. I had to be with her, and I just figured I'd deal with the other stuff later.

Everyone is their own kind of lesbian. To think there's a certain way to dress or present yourself in the world is just one more stereotype we have to fit into.