HAPPY AGAIN
Ellen Degeneres and wife Portia de Rossi start fresh after buying a $49M compound in California.
It was a very cold summer for Ellen Degeneres. Hit hard by allegations of fostering a toxic work environment on the set of her talk show, the host saw her ratings tank and her reputation plummet. The stress of the situation took its toll on all aspects of her life — including her relationship with wife Portia de Rossi. “Ellen’s fall from grace made things difficult at home,” admits an insider. “It seemed as though she and Portia wouldn’t be able to withstand all the pressure.”
But fortunately, they did. After Ellen publicly apologized in September and began reforming her damaged career, she turned her attention to her marriage, says the insider, vowing not to take work stress home with her and to always put Portia first. And it’s made all the difference in the world. Recently, Portia and Ellen splashed out $49 million on a spectacular compound in Montecito, Calif. — and renovating it together has become a true labor of love. “Ellen and Portia are having so much fun, and it’s because Ellen has changed. She’s no longer taking her home life for granted and is fully present as they go through paint swatches and explore their shared interest in design,” the insider shares. “For both of them, this feels like a fresh start.”
THINGS ARE LOOKING UP
Both passionate house-flippers, Ellen, 62, and Portia, 47, haven’t yet decided whether they’ll resell the 4.3-acre estate when they’re done with the redo. Regardless, the couple couldn’t be happier to be there together right now. “It’s brought them even closer,” says the insider. “They’re in such a good place.”
The positivity has spilled over into other areas of Ellen’s life. Her eponymous show’s ratings are back on top, with her 12 Days of Christmas episodes garnering the highest numbers of the season. And other projects, including her line of bathroom furnishings and her Next Great Designer series with HBO Max, are moving full steam ahead. Perhaps most importantly, though, Ellen’s co-workers have noticed a distinct — and welcome — change in her on-set demeanor. “You can ask almost anyone, and they’ll say they've seen a difference," the insider says. “She’s so much kinder.” While Ellen just recently tested positive for COVID-19, and will be quarantining as a result, the insider reveals that staffers are now looking forward to her return. “If you’re happy in your marriage, then you project that happiness onto other people, and that’s what’s happened with Ellen,” the insider muses. “She has definitely changed for the better.”
After her work scandal tested their marriage, Ellen Degeneres reconnects with Portia de Rossi as they renovate a new love nest