Ellen & Portia: Baby After Rehab
Stronger than ever, Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi are finally starting a family
Justin Timberlake couldn’t stop gushing about Ellen Degeneres. As he presented his close friend with her record-breaking 20th People’s Choice Award on Jan. 18, he called her “a trailblazer, a rule-breaker, a relentless philanthropist and one of the funniest and most talented people on the planet.” But then, to the surprise of many, he added an- other description: He called her Portia de Rossi’s baby mama!
It was no accident. After years of saying no to motherhood, Ellen is starting a family with the woman she loves. “Having a child has always been a dream of Portia’s, but Ellen has always gotten cold feet,” says an insider, explaining that many factors have influenced her decision, from a lack of maternal instincts
to concerns about Portia’s health and sobriety. But after seeing friends start families and watching Portia heal and thrive after completing a rehab stay in the spring of 2014, Ellen, 59, has had a surprising change of heart. “Though they’ve been down this family-talk road many times,” adds the insider, “it really looks like they’re finally serious about having a baby.”
A few years ago, Portia and the marriage were struggling. “She hadn’t been happy for a while and was drinking and isolating herself,” the insider told In Touch at the time, adding that the Scandal actress “blamed Ellen for driving her to drink because of her controlling ways.” As a last-ditch effort to save their rocky relationship, Portia, who’d previously sought treatment for an eating disorder after hitting 82 pounds in 2000, successfully completed a 30-day program for drug and alcohol abuse. Says the insider: “Portia’s doing so well now has been a huge factor in Ellen’s decision to agree to start a family.”
Portia also has Ellen’s pal Justin and his wife, Jessica Biel, to thank. “Seeing how Justin and Jessica’s adorable 21-month-old son, Silas, has enhanced his parents’ lives has brought Ellen to tears,” explains the insider. “She realized she was being selfish by telling Portia ‘no’ to a baby.” Ellen, adds the insider, has even joked “that if they have a boy, they’ll name him Justin.”
Now comes the hardest part: deciding how to bring a baby into their lives. “They’ve been discussing Portia’s carrying the child, which is possible since she’s healthy and only 43, but Ellen would rather have a surrogate since she feels it’s safer,” says the insider. “They’re getting good advice on the matter since they have plenty of friends — like Neil Patrick Harris and Elton John — who’ve used amazing surrogacy agencies.” Adoption is not out of the question, either, adds the insider: “Ellen would love to adopt a child from her hometown of New Orleans.” No matter how they start their family, “it’s a win-win situation for everyone,” says the insider. “And Portia couldn’t be happier.” ◼
Portia was shocked when Ellen brought up having kids after years of saying no”
— AN INSIDER